Nicholas Hlobo
One of the most intriguing figures of South Africa's vibrant art scene makes his New York debut. The high point is a group of uncanny assemblages, hanks of leather sutured to found objects. A chunk of driftwood, conjoined to a curve of black leather and a mass of red tentacles, has the menace of a beached sea creature. Hobo’s paintings, ribbons and leather stitched onto canvas, are far less enigmatic, and occasionally feel half finished. Titles often freight Hlobo’s work with themes of loss, tradition, and gay black identity—but, to understand them, you’d need to consult a Xhosa dictionary.
Through April 17, Lehmann Maupin, 201 Chrystie Street.