Paint Isn’t Just Paint at the New York Studio School

The New York Studio School recently presented an exhibition titled <source>Paint Isn’t Just Paint</source>, featuring the works of three artists: Brenda Goodman, Steve DiBenedetto, and Bendix Harms. Curated by Jacob Brooks, the exhibition aimed to explore the relationship between abstraction and figuration, and the dialogue between opacity and transparency in contemporary art.

Brenda Goodman and Steve DiBenedetto, both established artists in the New York art scene, were paired with the lesser-known Bendix Harms for this exhibition. The juxtaposition of these artists sparked curiosity, as it was unclear if there was any formal connection between them. Goodman and DiBenedetto have maintained a complex and nuanced dialogue in their work, navigating abstraction and figuration while remaining socially relevant and self-serving.

In contrast, Harms's work appeared less expected and intriguing. The exhibition consisted of 17 works in total, with Harms contributing three pieces and Goodman and DiBenedetto each contributing seven. This imbalance forced viewers to focus on each artist individually and consider their individual merits without comparing them directly.

Harms's work is primarily influenced by his immediate surroundings and painted using a palette knife directly on the canvas. One of his works, "Tears of No Return" (2020), depicts a flattened, layered space filled with grotesque imagery, such as two birds with puffed-up chests, a black cat with yellow pupils, and a large turquoise face with one visible eye crying. The painting conveys a sense of violence and defenselessness, highlighting the inability to ensure harmony in the world.

Goodman's paintings, ranging from 2020 to 2026, focus on pain and sadness, often existing between abstraction and figuration. Her work is rooted in personal experience but rarely becomes narrative. In "Mounting Thoughts" (2024), three conical shapes form a gloomy room, with a black oozing substance adding to the ambiguity of the piece. Goodman's paintings challenge viewers to interpret their meaning, often leaving them feeling both informed and perplexed.

Steve DiBenedetto's work, also part of the exhibition, is characterized by a combination of the grotesque and comic, evoking a sense of primordial and post-apocalyptic lifeforms. His pieces, like "Isotope Plus" (2026), appear to be lifeforms turned inside out, with vacuoles of color or eyes dispersed across the surface. DiBenedetto's use of paint as an ectoplasm, a spiritual substance, adds another layer of intrigue to his work.

Overall, the <source>Paint Isn’t Just Paint</source> exhibition at the New York Studio School offered a fresh perspective on contemporary art, challenging viewers to rethink their assumptions about abstraction and figuration. By combining the works of Goodman, DiBenedetto, and Harms, the exhibition provided a unique opportunity to explore the diverse ways in which artists navigate the complexities of their craft.