James Kalm wheels into Chelsea to sample the exhibitions of Amy Sillman and Anna Sew Hoy. If anyone was to be put forth as an example of where the current state of the "New York School" is, Amy Sillman qualifies. Her luscious and physical use of paint, strong drawing, strange figurative fragments and an adherence to the legacy of Ab-Ex have given her a local cult-like following as well as international recognition. Anne Sew Hoy mixes masterly craft skills with an appreciation of the suburban abject, rendered in the ubiquitous materials of denim, ceramics and shades.

James Kalm is curious to see how the paintings of Wilhelm Sasnal stack up to the international hype attendant to this painter. In this brief visit, viewers can judge for themselves, as we see examples of Sasnal's wane landscapes, limp faceless figure studies and slight text works that also incorporate references to his use of pigment and other substances to create a material and textural presence. Sasnal was featured in a cover story in ARTFORUM, has received strong support from Charles Saatchi and was also featured in "Cave Painting II" curated by Bob Nickas.

James Kalm is back in Soho at the Deitch Project for what might be the last exhibition in this location. As a longtime fan, it's a pleasure to bring viewers a bit of what is, to this point, the most ambitious painting show from this influential young artist. Combining odd scenes depicting a strange tropical vacation resort or ribbon strewn and pixilated versions of near abstract figures, these paintings are a mélange of techniques with a rich and sensitive palette, and intriguing textual headings. De Balincourt has been included in several noteworthy recent exhibitions including shows at PS1 and the Saatchi Gallery.

James Kalm brings viewers a brief tour of "Monumental Piccolini", a provocative show highlighting current abstraction by contrasting the ambitious scale of classic "New York School" works with the more modest productions of contemporary practitioners. One of the contentions of curator Jennifer Riley was that, due to market forces, monumental works are being ignored by galleries. It's hoped that by creating a dialog between works, scales and generations the sphere of formalist abstraction will display its vibrancy. Includes interviews with Craig Fisher and Jennifer Riley.

James Kalm recovers from St. Patrick's Day with a visit to the latest exhibition of works by controversial artist Marlene Dumas. Since 2005, when one of her paintings set a record for attaining the highest price ever paid at auction for a work by a living female artist, Dumas has become a lightning rod for criticism. Dumas's "Against the Wall" uses the image of the wall as a metaphor of the intractable and tragic situation present in the Middle East, and contrasts the political and spiritual implications of what these structures portend.

Normally James Kalm would have been present for the press preview at this exhibition's opening. Unfortunately, due to assignments overseas, your reporter was out of town. To try and fulfill his mission of bringing viewers the latest in arts happenings in New York, Kalm slips into the show and tries to document a walk through on the DL (down low). A vigilant docent catches him with his camera on.