James Kalm starts his latest acculturation bike tour with no particular plans in mind. But spontaneous happenings take charge, and your correspondent whips out the camera, and begins documenting a couple of exhibitions on the Lower East Side. Jane Dickson’s “Promised Land” at Karma is the artist’s latest offering. Known as the “Artist Emeritus” of Time Square, your reporter has been aware of Jane’s work since the pivotal “Time Square Show” that kicked off the Downtown art scene of the 1980s. Included in the 2022 Whitney Biennial, these paintings present images of late-night New York, many featuring illuminated signage, on Dickson’s signature nubby surfaces.
Zipping along on his aimless episode, Kalm slinks back to the Bowery, and stumbles into “Astrocultural Messenger” an extensive mini retrospective of the mystical works of Paulina Peavy at Andrew Edlin Gallery. As fate would have it, The gallery is in preparation for a discussion with curator and author Laura Whitcomb, who is presenting her latest monogram (the first on the artist) “Paulina Peavy: Etherian Channeler”. Although too bashful to talk on video, the curator did speak with the Kalm Report extensively, and delved into some of the unique questions posed by this artist’s work including the contention that she was guided by a “UFO spirit” named LACAMO, who she first encountered in California in 1932. A series of gem-like small works, that haven’t been exhibited since the 1939 San Francisco Golden Gate International Exhibition, are the capstone of this tasty show. This program was recorded September 28, 2023. #jameskalmreport #jameskalmroughcut #lorenmunk