Art Downtown NYC January 2026
Yesterday, Saturday, November 24th, 2026, a day before a massive snowstorm, I headed into lower Manhattan to visit my exhibition and consider what to do with my many panels, but also to view art with the hope of gaining some inspiration. (Lately, I have many ideas popping into my mind, but I feel scattered-brained and have trouble focusing in order to execute or at least get started with some of these ideas.) The Storefront for Ideas was closed, so I didn’t have a chance to spend time with my work, so I continued from 172 Walker Street toward Broadway. I was searching for Jack Shainman Gallery by memory and mistakenly thought it was on Broadway (it’s at 46 Lafayette Street). Fortunately, my error led me past Stephen Friedman Gallery, I paused, looked in, and entered to discover the beautiful and powerful work of Santiago Yahuarcani.
Yahuarcani creates magical paintings on handmade paper. They are incredibly detailed, filled with pattern, and color. For example, against a black backgournd with small yellow brushstrokes is ESPIRITU DE BRUJO, a flying creature that begins with long flowing toenails that evoke roots attached to human feet and legs patterned with a mix of tiger and leopard markings. Where the legs meet, begins a wing and body of an owl. The owl stands with its own set of legs and has two faces, one on its chest and the other at the head. From the top of the body two arms are raised out, one holding a spear. From the large, round yellow eyes of the top face emit yellow rays downward and widening to the bottom of the painting. At the base of each side of the owl’s head begins a red outline that open up near the top of the head at each side to extend to the top of the painting. Within these red lines are a chain of eyes. The words “AYANUASCA”, “OJAMPA”, “TABACO”, “COCA”, “AiMA.JORiAt”, “ESPiRiTU DE BRUJO” surround the magical creature. Each word is in black against a deep red or orange background. I’m only describing one of many paintings. Some of the paintings have richer environments with a visual narrative, portraying the destruction of the natural world due to human greed.
Along Broadway, I encountered an empty building with a rich facade of old, layered posters. Once I realized that Jack Shaiman was not on Broadway, I took out my phone and searched nearby galleries. I then proceeded to Jack Shaiman Gallery to view a beautiful collection of Faith Ringgold works. I’ve never been a fan of Ringgold’s work, mostly because I don’t get excited about quilts or works on quilts, but these show had me look more carefully and encounter the humor and narratives in her work. And due to the length of her life, the work is much more diverese than the popular quilt paintings. I particularly enjoyed the giant quilt painting with a naked woman – Celia standing at a mirror with a man Victor wearing nothing but a black beret stepping from the bathroom. The painting is lined on the left and right by the love story of Celia and Victor.
Moving along, I encountered three more excellent exhibitions Hydeon’s Eagertalis at Nicelle Beauchene Gallery, Regina Silviera’s Latin American Puzzle at Alexander Gray Associates and John Kelly’s A Friend Game Me a Book at PPOW.
