Installation view, “Sarah Charlesworth: Desire and Seduction,” Paula Cooper Gallery, New York, February 20– March 29, 2025. © The Estate of Sarah Charlesworth. Courtesy Paula Cooper Gallery, New York. Photo: Steven Probert
“Desire and Seduction” by Sarah Charlesworth
When: Through March 29
Where: Paula Cooper Gallery, 521 West 21st
Why It’s Worth A Look: Through photographic cut-outs of hovering, sensual objects and bodies, the late conceptual artist Sarah Charlesworth made desire tangible. Among the array of materials on view at Paula Cooper are silk gowns, sculpted torsos, and flickering candles, all set against pitch-black backdrops.
Know Before You Go: Charlesworth attributed each color to a separate symbol of desire: red for sexual passion, black for dominance or death, green for natural growth, yellow for material value, or blue for spiritual or metaphorical desire.