Kelly Reemtsen: Focus

NEW YORK, NY: Opening October 17, 2024, albertz benda is delighted to present Kelly Reemtsen: Focus, the artist’s fourth solo exhibition with the gallery. Featuring a suite of paintings alongside newly conceived sculptural installations, this exhibition will reflect on the ubiquitous experience of women navigating myriad distractions in their roles as mothers, professionals, and caregivers.

Focus delves into the difficulties faced by women who often bear the burden of juggling multiple responsibilities. In several new compositions, Reemtsen veils her classic female protagonists behind a semi-translucent white scrim punctuated by boldly colored circular areas. Aptly referred to by the artist as “focus points,” these fields of saturation draw viewers into moments of heightened clarity and insight. Reemtsen will complement her paintings with a suite of circular wall-hanging mirrors, each adorned with the word "focus.” The mirrors reflect and further fracture her empowered female subjects, beckoning viewers to pause and reclaim agency over their focus in a world clamoring for it incessantly.

Reemtsen wryly responds to the inundation of contemporary news and information in the digital age with her latest sculptural installation. Ten axes, with meticulously handcrafted walnut handles by Paul Cox, hang on the walls like utilitarian tools. Their function is undercut by their brightly painted handles and fuzzy fur axe heads, refusing the typical utilitarian function associated with the tool. Accompanied by a vintage leUerpress book reading "these axes soften the blow,” the installation offers a playful solution for tempering the impact of overwhelming news on daily life.

This exhibition provocatively explores the challenges of focus in a world saturated with distractions. Throughout, Reemtsen skillfully blends humor and advocacy to address the challenges faced by women today as they navigate expectations around careers and family.