When abstract expressionism emerged in postwar New York, the leading critic of the day claimed it a “uniquely American” idea. Well, maybe. New York hosted many artists during the war, notably the famous surrealists. They significantly influenced local artists who were developing new approaches to abstraction. Robert Motherwell commented that abstract expressionism should really have been called “abstract surrealism”.
Mutu gained prominence with her figurative collages but her sculptures have lifted her reputation further. Many of these works address the legacy of colonialism or gender violence and have the ability to unsettle. The contrast of materials like Nairobi clay in a gleaming New York museum just adds to a sense of disruption. That pleases Mutu – “my work marries the beautiful and the grotesque, because [this is] what my country is about.” One of the top 10 shows of the year, says one critic.
Cloud Gate, (aka the bean) is Anish Kapoor’s acclaimed public sculpture in Chicago. Now, after much delay, New York has its own, half sized version. Achieving a seamless mirror surface caused endless delays that were only fixed by workers climbing inside “the lustrous legume”. Wedged under a residential tower, the work may not have the impact that envious New Yorkers desired. Sniffs a Chicago critic, “to have it stuffed underneath a building in New York, it’s a little strange. Ours is better.”