Through April 7, the David Zwirner Gallery in New York City presents “Isa Genzken: Sky Energy,” a focused survey of work by the Berlin-based artist whose practice spans four decades. Genzken is widely known for her diverse output — including collage, drawing, film, photography, painting and sculpture — and for a sustained interest in urban form. Since the mid-1980s she has explored concrete as a primary material, producing works that often reflect her fascination with the New York City skyline and the architecture of modern cities.
The exhibition brings together new concrete sculptures alongside a selection of wall-mounted paintings and assemblages. Also featured are recent pieces from her ongoing “Schauspieler” (Actors) series, which extends her inquiry into portraiture, representation and the material presence of the figure. Together, these works demonstrate Genzken’s range: a rigorous engagement with industrial materials, a sensitivity to color and surface, and an ability to negotiate between abstraction and figuration.
Genzken’s sculptures frequently respond to the geometry and texture of urban construction, and the new concrete pieces on view continue that dialogue. Her wall-mounted works and assemblages combine found elements and hand-made interventions, producing surfaces that read as both architectural fragments and intimate study. The Schauspieler series, meanwhile, reconfigures portraiture through layered materials and fragmented forms, inviting viewers to consider how identity and image are constructed and deconstructed.
Isa Genzken’s art appears in major museum and public collections worldwide, reflecting her significant impact on contemporary sculpture and installation practice. Institutions holding her work include Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam; The Museum of Modern Art, New York; Museum Ludwig, Cologne; Gemeentemuseum, The Hague; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; and Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich.
David Zwirner Gallery is located at 533 West 19th St. The exhibition runs through April 7.