James Kalm proffers kudos to the curator who came up with the idea of juxtaposing the works of these two master painters. Philip Pearlstein and Al Held inhabited and influenced the historic flow of the “New York School”. This exhibition contrasts major works from different periods reflecting the various interests of the times. Includes an interview with Philip Pearlstein.

James Kalm is slumming on the Lower East Side when he comes across this opening. Tracey Emin is a founding member of the YBAs (Young British Artists) and represented Great Britain in the 2007 Venice Biennial. Featuring over 53 works in neon, film, sculpture, embroideries and monoprints, this extensive show continues the artist’s exploration and objectification of her own sexuality, lust, longing and desire.

James Kalm makes a pre-Halloween visit to bring viewers some tricks and treats from the painterly grab bag of Nicole Eisenman. Combining styles and techniques, Eisenman presents a series of large “Beer Garden” paintings that capture friends and inhabitants of this bohemian milieu. The pictures are rife with art historical references and show Eisenman’s regard for past masters like Picasso, Nolde and Ensor.

James Kalm makes a pilgrimage of fandom to the book launch party for Jerry Saltz’s latest literary endeavor “Seeing Out Louder”. The sequel to “Seeing Out Loud”, this edition features reviews, essays, and thought pieces that display the wit and observational acuity that have established Saltz within the top fifty most influential individuals in the contemporary art world.

James Kalm braves fall showers and trains his way to the Bowery’s New Museum for the first major museum exhibition by Urs Fischer. Lionized as one of contemporary art’s most distinctive talents, Fischer earned the New York spotlight in 2007 by cutting a hole in the floor of Gavin Brown’s Enterprise and digging out tons of dirt leaving a gaping crater for visitors to climb into and explore. As an astute observer of spatial perception, and a master of digital technology with a mischievous sense of humor, the artist uses the most advanced commercial printing techniques to tweak space and challenge “reality”.

James Kalm treks into Marlborough Chelsea for the second one-man show by the eccentric abstract painter Steven Charles. Three days earlier, your reporter biked to West Harlem for an impromptu studio visit and interview with the artist. Charles discusses his recent investigations of figurative subject matter and accumulative sculpture.

Well known curator Bob Nickas has spent several months visiting studios in L.A., New York, London, Paris and Berlin and he’s selected a group of works that exemplify his version of where abstract painting is today. "Cave Painting" is the second in a three part series of exhibitions presented in conjunction with the publication of his new book Painting Abstraction by Phaidion Press. Presented in the unusual space of the basement of 511 West 25th Street, this show will no doubt be controversial, and should give the painting pundits many topics of debate. Includes an interview with Gresham’s Ghost Director Ajay Kurian.

James Kalm makes a walking tour through the recent exhibition of Jack Pierson. Known for his poetic wall constructions in which he uses found letters from commercial roadside signage, this new body of work investigates the formalistic aspect of these shapes without regard for their linguistic meaning. The resulting accumulations resemble totems or snippets of calligraphy. The weathered and faded surfaces evoke a romantic nostalgia yet Pierson’s arrangements remain elegant, humorous and formally satisfying.

James Kalm has been watching the work of Frank Stella since his days as a student in the Far West. This icon of New York Modernism presents “Polychrome Reliefs” as his statement of where painting is today. Though not properly reliefs, nor paintings, these extravagant works employ the latest in high tech composites, stainless steel and lustrous lacquers. These works juxtapose curving organic forms with pierced and engineered struts and ribbing, contrasting the mechanical with the romantic and continuing Stella’s theoretical investigations of color and form. With appearances by Kenny Scharf, Irving Sandler, Adam Weinberg, Mark Kostabi and of course Stella.

James Kalm makes a must see stop for this double bill during the 2009 season opening night in Chelsea. Both Kara Walker and Mark Bradford have gained recognition for their work with paper, cut silhouettes for the former and grand scaled collage for the latter. Walker weaves a narrative derived from the history of slavery and repression, while Bradford imbues his work with an abject elegance capturing the essence and life of contemporary urban neighborhoods. Includes an interview with Kara Walker discussing her views on the painterly direction of some recent work.