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Overflow, Afterglow: New Work in Chromatic Figuration

May 24 – Sep. 15, 2024

New works by seven emerging artists who use supernatural color and uncanny luminescence to challenge the boundaries of traditional figuration.

The exhibition features new works in painting, sculpture, and installation by Sula Bermudez-Silverman (b. 1993), Sasha Gordon (b. 1998), Sara Issakharian (b. 1983), Chella Man (b. 1998), Ilana Savdie (b. 1986), Austin Martin White (b. 1984), and Rosha Yaghmai (b. 1978) that highlight the figure’s malleability and continuing metamorphosis, expressing the lived experiences of a multiethnic, multiracial, and otherwise multifaceted group of makers.

Overflow, Afterglow brings together seven young artists who use color to distort the figure and expand cultural norms—whether nodding to pop culture and digital immersion, the vibrancies of their heritages, or spaces of youthful and queer liberation. Responding to the social and political turmoil of the past decade and absorbing input from different backgrounds and histories, these artists articulate new visual vocabularies. The exhibition also builds upon the Jewish Museum’s ongoing practice of exploring contemporary art in real time, providing a platform for each new generation of artists.

 

In the Press
“Chromatic” is putting it mildly—the colors pop and sizzle, and anyone who visits in the hopes of escaping the summer temperatures will find a different kind of heat waiting inside.”
— The New Yorker

“…the show is refreshingly sensuous and summery, the museum equivalent of one of those ubiquitous neon aperitivos.”
— Financial Times

The exhibition is organized by Liz Munsell, Barnett & Annalee Newman Curator of Contemporary Art, The Jewish Museum, and Kristina Parsons, Leon Levy Assistant Curator, The Jewish Museum.

Overflow, Afterglow: New Work in Chromatic Figuration is made possible by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Phyllis Mack and Christine Mack, the Sudarsky Family Foundation, the Judith and Donald Rechler Foundation, White Cube, Michael Kohn Gallery, Los Angeles, the Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation, Craig Robins, Liz and George Krupp, Elise Mac Adam and Stephen Kramarsky, and other generous donors.

Additional support is provided by The Barbara S. Horowitz Contemporary Art Fund and the Melva Bucksbaum Fund for Contemporary Art.

Digital guide supported by Bloomberg Connects.

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Surreal portrait of a person with braids, large round face, and softly smiling expression, rendered in bright blue tones with a green circular glow radiating from the center of the face.

Sasha Gordon, Ferment, 2022. Oil on canvas. Collection of Jeffrey Deitch. Photo by Genevieve Hanson.

Exhibition highlights

  • Contemporary sculpture featuring a glowing green, ornate column fragment topped with a reddish organic form, displayed on a pedestal lit with purple light in a dark gallery space.

    Sula Bermudez-Silverman. Leetso I, 2023. Blown uranium glass, cast isomalt sugar, cast epoxy resin. Private Collection. Photo by Benjamin Westoby Photography.

  • Abstract painting featuring a swirling mass of tangled organic and mechanical forms in shades of blue, pink, gray, and black against a light blue background.

    Sara Issakharian. Her Twinkle in Their Eyes, 2023. Acrylic, pastel, color pencil on linen. Zimmer Family Collection. Courtesy the artist and Tanya Leighton, Berlin and Los Angeles. Photo by Dan Finlayson.

  • Sculptural bust of a human head with closed eyes, painted in bright yellow-orange, set against a dark black fabric background.

    Chella Man. Autonomy (in process), 2024. Courtesy of the artist.

  • Colorful abstract painting depicting multiple overlapping human figures in dynamic poses, with vivid shades of orange, red, purple, and yellow against a textured gray and blue background.

    Austin Martin White, (last)Bacchanal(pity party) after B. Thompson, 2022. 3m reflective fabric, rubber, pigment, graphite, vinyl, spray paint and screen mesh. Collection of George O'Dell. Courtesy of the artist, Petzel, New York, and Capitain Petzel, Berlin.

  • Vibrant abstract painting with swirling organic shapes in bright colors including pink, red, yellow, green, and blue, featuring layered textures and surreal, fragmented anatomical forms.

    Ilana Savdie, Cow, 2023.
Oil, acrylic, and beeswax on canvas stretched on panel. 65 1/8 × 80 1/8 in. (165.4 × 203.5 cm). The Jewish Museum, New York. Purchase: Romie and Blanche Shapiro Estates, Arts Acquisition Committee Fund, Roberta Pfeufer Kahn Trust, and Helfman Contemporary Art Acquisition Fund, 2023-115. Photo by Lance Brewer.

  • Abstract image with soft, blurred horizontal bands of color in shades of green, purple, pink, and red, overlaid with a subtle wavy texture pattern.

    Rosha Yaghmai. Afterimage, Past Skies, 2023. Acrylic and ink on organza and cotton, artist's frame. Private Collection. Courtesy of the artist and Commonwealth and Council. (C) Rosha Yaghmai. Photo by Paul Salveson.

  • Exhibition gallery with deep blue walls and dramatic lighting, featuring a glowing wooden sculpture resembling a chest on a brick base to the left and a brown sculpture holding a reflective orb to the right, with additional artwork visible in a yellow-lit room beyond.

    Installation view of Overflow, Afterglow: New Work in Chromatic Figuration featuring works by Sula Bermudez-Silverman at the Jewish Museum, NY, May 24-September 15, 2024. Photo © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

  • Gallery space with soft peach-colored walls displaying two large abstract paintings. The left painting features swirling blue, gray, and pink forms against a light blue background, while the right painting shows a similar composition with brighter pink, yellow, and green tones against a pale pink background. Overhead track lighting illuminates both artworks.

    Installation view of Overflow, Afterglow: New Work in Chromatic Figuration featuring works by Sara Issakharian at the Jewish Museum, NY, May 24-September 15, 2024. Photo © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

  • Gallery space with bright yellow walls displaying colorful contemporary paintings. The center painting features abstracted human figures in red, yellow, and purple tones on a dark background. The painting on the right shows layered imagery in vibrant reds, blues, and yellows. Overhead lighting highlights each artwork, with a glimpse into an adjacent purple-lit room.

    Installation view of Overflow, Afterglow: New Work in Chromatic Figuration featuring works by Austin Martin White and Sula Bermudez-Silverman at the Jewish Museum, NY, May 24-September 15, 2024. Photo © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

  • Gallery room with deep blue walls displaying five abstract artworks. Each piece features soft, blurred shapes in gradient colors such as orange, pink, blue, and purple, resembling glowing light or atmospheric effects. Overhead track lighting illuminates the works evenly across the space.

  • Wide view of an exhibition gallery with three color-coded sections. The left section has yellow walls displaying colorful figurative paintings; the center section has dark blue walls with five abstract gradient artworks; and the right section has pale pink walls displaying vibrant, multi-colored abstract paintings. The gallery is lit with overhead spotlights.

    Installation view of Overflow, Afterglow: New Work in Chromatic Figuration featuring works by Austin Martin White, Rosha Yaghmai, and Ilana Savdie at the Jewish Museum, NY, May 24-September 15, 2024. Photo © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

  • Installation view of a gallery with warm yellow lighting and a ceiling of fluorescent tube lights. In the center is a sculpture of a nude figure lying face up on a platform covered in red fabric.

    Installation view of Overflow, Afterglow: New Work in Chromatic Figuration featuring the work of Chella Man at the Jewish Museum, NY, May 24-September 15, 2024. Photo © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

  • Panoramic view of a contemporary art gallery with multiple rooms painted in yellow, blue, and peach tones, displaying colorful abstract paintings, sculptures, and installations under track lighting.

    Installation view of Overflow, Afterglow: New Work in Chromatic Figuration at the Jewish Museum, NY, May 24-September 15, 2024. Photo © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

  • Gallery room with soft peach-colored walls displaying a series of colorful abstract paintings, each featuring bold, fluid shapes and vibrant gradients, illuminated by track lighting.

    Installation view of Overflow, Afterglow: New Work in Chromatic Figuration featuring works by Ilana Savdie and Chella Man at the Jewish Museum, NY, May 24-September 15, 2024. Photo © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

  • Gallery room with deep blue walls displaying three contemporary portraits: a yellow-toned painting of a young girl on the left, a pink abstract figure in the center, and a close-up blue portrait of a face on the right.

    Installation view of Overflow, Afterglow: New Work in Chromatic Figuration featuring works by Sasha Gordon at the Jewish Museum, NY, May 24-September 15, 2024. Photo © Frederick Charles, fcharles.com

ASL Guide

  • ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Introduction featuring Zavier Sabio

    ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Introduction featuring Zavier Sabio

  • ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Sara Issakharian featuring Mia Sanchez

    ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Sara Issakharian featuring Mia Sanchez

  • ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Sula Bermudez Silverman featuring Zavier Sabio

    ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Sula Bermudez Silverman featuring Zavier Sabio

  • ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Austin Martin White featuring Zavier Sabio

    ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Austin Martin White featuring Zavier Sabio

  • ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Rosha Yaghmai featuring Mia Sanchez

    ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Rosha Yaghmai featuring Mia Sanchez

  • ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Ilana Savdie featuring Mia Sanchez

    ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Ilana Savdie featuring Mia Sanchez

  • ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Chella Man featuring Mia Sanchez

    ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Chella Man featuring Mia Sanchez

  • ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Sasha Gordon featuring Zavier Sabio

    ASL Guide | Overflow, Afterglow: Sasha Gordon featuring Zavier Sabio

Audio

Digital guide supported by Bloomberg Connects.

Download the digital guide transcript.

The Jewish Museum · Overflow, Afterglow: New Work in Chromatic Figuration

Download the verbal description tour transcript.

The Jewish Museum · Verbal Descriptions of Overflow, Afterglow: New Work in Chromatic Figuration