In addition to his name, I like the work of Baker Overstreet. He strange configurations of color and structure-- tribal, 80's-sci-fi, and Martin Ramirez-esque-- are both facile and surprisingly fresh. His work can feel both "outsider" and "insider" in alternating moments, which invigorates the narrative: enter viewer ambiguity. The true strength in color and scale hold the viewer, questioning, and the resultant experience is seductive and satisfying.
But don't just take my work for it, here's Roberta Smith:
BAKER OVERSTREET: NEW PAINTINGS Like Keegan McHargue and Devendra Banhart, this young artist has a penchant for tribal motifs, which he flattens into symmetrical compositions and renders with an outsider roughness. The works in his debut show evoke the imagery of the space-ship-obsessed, self-taught artist Ionel Talpazan, as well as Alfred Jensen and Forrest Bess. Their notion of the visionary is both self conscious and familiar, but they are painted with energetic dispatch and a sure sense of scale, color and wit that encourages you to stay tuned. Fredericks & Freiser, 536 West 24th Street, (212) 633-6555, through March 17. (Smith)
