Mehretu x 2

Julie Mehretu, Middle Grey

For those who haven't yet seen "Grey Area," Julie Mehretu's series of paintings for the Deutsche Bank and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, time is running out.  The show, which closes tomorrow, is well worth the visit.  Her monumental canvases, inscribed with sweeping architectural lines and flocks of calligraphic strokes, are a visual delight for art-lovers of all stripes, demonstrating an old-masterly command of mark framed with contemporary sensibilities.

Fans of Mehretu need not be dismayed, however--a solo exhibition of her works on paper, "Notations After the Ring," is on view at Gallery Met.  The clear star of this show is the artist's 15-foot etching, Auguries, beautifully editioned by the master printers at Gemini G. E. L.  Mehretu's mark ebbs and flows through the twelve panels, creating an epic narrative worthy of exhibition's Wagnerian namesake.  Her small graphite drawings, while lacking the fluid precision and polished composition of her larger work, possess a refreshing spontaneity. 

If you plan to visit the show, keep in mind that while entrance is free, the Gallery Met's hours are limited: 6 p.m. till last intermission Monday to Friday, and noon till last intermission on Saturdays.