Two Winter Exhibitions

Richard Prince, Untitled, 2021, Acrylic, collage, ink jet, and oil stick on canvas 75 1/8 x 59 1/8 inches (190.8 x 150.2 cm)

By MARY HRBACEK January 19th, 2026

Gagosian presents thirty acrylic and mixed media (oil stick, inkjet, and collage) works on canvas by Richard Prince - five sculptures and twenty graphite and mixed media, mostly framed works on paper.  The works date from 2018 – 2025, with the sculptures spanning 2007 – 2025. The show is a no-holds-barred extravaganza which immediately strikes the viewer as an uproarious carnival gallery experience. The very volume of works vying for attention that surround the visitor provides a hit of unsurpassed energetic visual pyrotechnics.  The paintings revel in a brutal glory where imagery contradicts the sensual use of the thick textured painting materials. Collaged realistic looking broken teeth and painted cigarettes with billowing smoke are the highlights of the show. 

There is no modesty on view; the open mouths are seen smiling despite the obviously devastating damage that has been done to the teeth. Fist fighting is indicated! There are fascinating juxtapositions of visual realism and abstract compositional flow that tips these works into a personal, totally new visual language of their own.  The mouths smirk, blow smoke and display fully painted lips with stark red lipstick.  It is a shame the works are all “untitled,” which makes individual comments difficult to clearly place.  Description is the only way I see to focus on the more distinctive outstanding pieces. “Untitled” 2021, features a collaged mouth in a glowing red center, which tells one story; the cigarette smoke is secondary to the narrative of the exposed reddened gums and lips.  The piece is mesmerizing. These works break a lot of unspoken rules.  “Untitled” 2022 displays two cascading configurations, on a carousel of large unattractive white teeth fitted on a pole, while the two mouths connect up on the left, with a form designed to communicate smoke.  It is a blatant captivating image if one is attracted by the “dark side,” which I am.  “Untitled” 2022, with a red mouth set beside a bed of dark smoke on a reddish orange ground, has an excruciating fascination of its own.  The works vary in complexity with the recurring theme of the journey through a space, a repetitive experience defined by both pain and defiance.  It is as if the painting wants to speak directly to the viewer, unimpeded. There are seemingly highways and routes around the imagery that take the viewer for metaphoric rollercoaster rides and side trips designed to emphasize the kind of “trailer trash” deviation of theme from the usual “fine art” elite subject matter that usually graces painted images in the Art world. The composite collage presentation isn’t quite in the same world or category as the painted smoke-filled works on canvas.  I personally got a charge out of this in-your-face show.  Bloody mouths, broken teeth, smoke filled spaces and roads to travel define this daring celebration of low-life episodes and escapades in a one-of-a-kind, baroque exhibition.

Lorenzo Mattotti Corsa VI, 2025 Colored Ink on Paper 19.75 x 28in. Framed- 25 x 32 in.

In stark contrast, Italian artist Lorenzo Mattotti, on view at Philippe Labaune Gallery in collaboration with Galerie Martel, presents “Momentum,” an exploration of human movement.  The exhibition speaks of a middle-class life filled with pleasure and leisure. In nineteen colored ink on paper, and twenty-seven pastel on paper works, Mattotti displays typical human activities that every viewer can relate to.  Many pictures are set in unusual landscapes such as high rounded hills with big green trees on top; there are figures set in front of waterfalls, or jogging or walking in a forest.  There are scenes of couples in bed, views of a couple chatting intimately on a balcony.  Some subjects are seen performing ritual fighting moves, playing sports, cycling, or designing motifs in an office. They drive in the country by day and at night, hike in the mountains, or make love outdoors and indoors. The life depicted is a well-rounded existence filled with fun and friendship.

 Mattotti has probably depicted a strong slice of his own life and pursuits.  The forms he creates are personal and unusual.  The artist’s outdoor and indoor settings express a sense of freedom of spirit, and life lived on one’s own terms.  There is a feeling of joy and relaxation in his imagery.  Taking rides in the country, morning and night, jogging in beautiful woods, are all subject matter that is almost never to be seen in galleries in the New York Art World.  These are figurative works achieved without an obsessive sense of realism.  They are freely drawn and painted to successfully transport the viewer into an active world of pleasure.  These pictures, including mountain climbing scenes, without the struggle, point to a life of delight in movement, and excitement at being busy and engaged alone or with friends. There is no brutality or hardship included in these playful, uniquely distinctive life images. 

The works are unusually personal and free of angst. Often artists find an outlet for their life’s pain in their art, but Mattotti focusses on all the enriching activities he experiences in his dynamic life.  It takes some viewing in order to truly appreciate the idiosyncratic imagery that sets the tone of the show.  In its own way it is a daring departure from the predominately abstract sphere to be found for quite a few decades in the New York Art World.  These works, including their creative diverse materials, are an uplifting change of scene and focus. WM