My Top 10 List from 2005

Top 10 lists are popping up all over the place right now. After resisting the temptation to do one last year, this year I succumb to the pressure. As Kriston noted in his list published at DCist, Top 10's are highly arbitrary endeavors. So, my caveat with the following list is that this Top 10 list uses any show I saw in the past year. The list is not limited to the DC area and it's not limited to gallery shows. I wish to share those shows that were most significant to me. Without further ado:

1. Andre Kertesz @ National Gallery of Art (DC)

This show still haunts me to this day. I can't stop thinking about what he was able to accomplish with such apparent simplicity.

2. Dan Flavin: A Retrospective @ National Gallery of Art (DC)

Beauty and innovation all at once. The show only was up for about a week in 2005 but it deserves the nod. I long for the warmth of those flourescent lights right now.

3. Cy Twombly Installation at Philadelphia Museum of Art

I doubt this really counts as a "show" so much as an installation, but this single room was without a doubt the most beautiful single room I stepped into during 2005.

4. Linn Meyers @ G Fine Art (DC) and Margaret Thatcher Projects (NYC)

These two shows solidified for me Meyers' standing as one of the top young artists working today. I can't wait to watch as museums begin snatching up her work. And her first museum solo... I'll be there!

5. Bruce Nauman - Raw Materials @ Tate Modern Turbine Hall (London)

Nauman accepted the daunting task of Tate's Turbine Hall and filled it with nothing. Well, nothing but sound. A bold move for a bold artist. Fantastic!

6. Logical Conclusions: 40 Years of Rule-Based Art @ Pace Wildenstein (NYC)

I missed the many museums shows focused on Minimalism in 2005. However, Pace Wildenstein helped me out by putting on a museum quality exhibition in Chelsea. Immediately when we walked in I said to my girlfriend, "WOW!" I think hours after we left I still had a smile on my face.

7. Shelley Spector @ Painted Bride Art Center (Philly)

Freedom of expression ran rampant throughout Spector's show. Simple beauty and heartfelt emotion carried the day here. This show still surprises me that I liked it so much. Its appeal was undeniable.

8. Jiha Moon: Symbioland @ Curator's Office (DC)

Moon's footprint was firmly established by this show. Sure, the $10,000 Trawick Prize helped, but most people didn't see that show. The many works included in this exhibition resolved any doubts. Moon is a real player!

9. David Ryan @ Numark (DC)

Though this show only occupied the small project space at Numark, Ryan's use of materials and the clean lines in the work struck a chord with me. I was so seduced by the work that for a moment the $4,000 price tag for each work didn't seem like much at all.

10. J.T. Kirkland: Studies in Organic Minimalism @ University of Phoenix (VA)

I can hear the catcalls now! How dare I include myself! Well, this show really had the most impact on me this year. My first solo show, it was a great learning experience and a wonderful opportunity to share my work with a larger audience. I think this show opened many doors for me and I hope to build on it this year.

What does the inclusion of my own show say about me, Lenny?

Honorable Mentions
William Betts @ Thomas Werner Gallery (NYC)
Barbara Probst @ G Fine Art (DC)
Scott Treleaven @ Conner Contemporary (DC)
Sam Gilliam's retrospective at The Corcoran Gallery of Art (DC)

For the amount of shows I saw in NYC over the course of the year, I think it's impressive that so few made my Top 10 list. I like that!

Comments

[Lenny]

It says honesty

[Colors and Prints]

Thats a good list there, I think I have to get my top 10 list of print blogs.