Marisa Merz at the Met Breuer.

http://www.metmuseum.org/exhibiti…/listings/2017/marisa-merz


Right now at the Met Breuer are two everlasting exhibitions that everyone who loves art should see. The 2nd floor holds an array of about 100 sculptures, drawings and paintings by the Italian artist Marisa Merz who is 90 years old, but makes things like a 23 year old. This is a ravishing show of odd pieces done in the Art Povera style, the Italian art movement that had its big nod in the 60's and 70's here but mostly abroad. Merz was married to Mario a leader of the pack, who didn't do much to help his wife get the attention she deserved. I mean I never heard of this wonderful artist. Well better 90 than never, and let's clap our hands together for this strong artist finally getting her due. The show consists of mostly sculptures that hang, lean and stand all over the place and are made of all sorts of interesting throw away kind of materials like copper wire, wood, sex, cardboard, tin sheets and some nice heads made of unfired clay. The colors are mostly muted but there is plenty of vividness and electricity here especially in her drawings and paintings of heads of women. There are also imaginative uses of collage and assemblage which really got my juices going, and I really liked her delicate handling of wire that are also strong and dangerous looking. And check out her very terrific large hanging pieces of tin sheets that look like figures wearing flowery spring dresses that are the first things that greet you when you get off the elevator from the 3rd floor where there is a great Marsden Hartley show that while breathtaking but way too crowded. This show was uncrowded and pleasurable and also breathtaking.