Atomica
Lombard-Freid Fine Arts and Esso Gallery
531 West 26th Street, Chelsea
Through July 28

Atomica is a surprisingly restrained exhibition, considering the explosive subject matter. Planned to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this joint show between Esso Gallery and Lombard-Freid addresses the ongoing threat of nuclear weapons. The topic is timely considering North Korea’s recent assertions of nuclear might, and the United States’ lack of commitment to disarmament. The artwork, which the curator Ombretta Agro Andruff predicts will encourage political action, is not exactly rousing. Of the many artists in this show, the older ones seem more willing to grab the bull by the horns; Chris Burden, Leon Golub, Joy Garnett and Nancy Spero employ biting satire or gritty expressionism to convey the seriousness of nuclear warfare. But the younger artists like Shiva Ahmadi and Marguerite Kahrl use ornate, encrypted imagery to allude to conflict. The inevitable defense is, “at least they’re not being didactic,” but it’s difficult to incite action without making a point.