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The Arts Intel Report

Jim Shaw: Before and After Math

Mar 11 – Apr 24, 2021
519 W 24th St, New York, NY 10011, United States

The American artist Jim Shaw is known for his eclectic pastiches of popular culture. Before beginning a painting, he mines endless archives of film, comic books, rock albums, and pulp novels, selecting images that idealize America—its history or its promise. He then gives these images the Shaw twist. This exhibition includes eight paintings and three films. Alas, it is also one of the last exhibitions at Metro Pictures. The gallery has announced that it will soon close permanently. —E.C.

Jim Shaw, “It’s for You,” 2021. Courtesy of the artist and Metro Pictures, New York.