exhibitions seen and noted

I really don't know what to make of the sprawling Raqib Shaw show that fills all the Pace spaces on 25th st. They're impressive to be sure in size and technique and they are certainly rich in imagery. The "paintings" are based are all sorts of mythological images and figures mixing in up in some pretty fantastical landscapes. The colors are right out of some B Technicolor Arabian Nights Maria Montez extravaganza, and that might be what's wrong with them. They're camp, expensive camp, fun camp but still camp, and as enjoyable as they are, and as spectacular as they are, I really don't know if I liked them all that much, or maybe I liked them too much and I feel guilty for that, all those jewels and glitter. They will no doubt be huge crowd pleasers with the Chelsea Saturday gallery goers, after all this is the kind of work, big and somewhat vulgar that pulls them in. So after all this brightness and loudness it was nice to cross the street to the quiet and very beautiful big abstractions of Sean Scully at Cheim & Read. Maybe I was in the mood for a little subtlety after Raqib and this simple but complex group of paintings fit the bill. I also liked much of Miriam Schapiro mixed retro like show at the Flomenhaft gallery that mixes doses of feminism with decorative painting and collage. Cozy and comfy. A very pleasing show. Finally I saw the Larry Poons show Geometry and Dots 1957-1965 at the Loretta Howard Gallery. This is a small show of his early work including his "dot paintings" which I always liked and take the sour taste out of my eyes that I felt from seeing his show of his recent work a few months ago at this same gallery. I wish he had somehow continued on this color field track instead of the messy abstract one he seems to be on at this late point in his long career. Now do you want me to tell you about all the crap that I saw?