The New Yorker loves Jen Bekman:
MARA BODIS-WOLLNER For her New York solo début, this young photographer says she's zeroing in on "the experience of disappointment amidst celebration." But because her subjects are almost exclusively women and girls gathered for birthday, cocktail, or dinner parties, Bodis-Wollner is also taking on the fraught dynamics of female relationships. In these carefully orchestrated tableaux, she invites us into minefields trip-wired by intricate webs of connection and exclusion. The reference point here is Tina Barney, who deploys her patented blend of naturalism and artifice in similarly social settings. Although Bodis-Wollner's work is more effortful than Barney's, when she loosens up she has an eloquence and precision all her own. Through Dec. 22. (Bekman, 6 Spring St. 212-219-0166.)
Working with the gallery for the past few months has been an absolute pleasure, especially since I've been such a fan since the very first show! Jen Bekman has an incredibly sharp eye, and her goal of pairing emerging artists with emerging collectors and first-time buyers is spot-on. Mara's work is quite extraordinary, and the oversized prints, framed in white, are exquisite. Definitely a must-see.
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