It can feel unsettling to discover works by an artist that differ from expectations. Especially when the art departs from a long-standing signature style so entrenched that it feels natural to inquire if the new approach might be the result of a life-changing event. But this kind of dramatic change can also stem from the decision to embrace the artist’s predilection to roam and leave the familiar behind while bringing hard-won experience to use as a guide.
Such is the case in the recent exhibition “Hans Van de Bovenkamp: In the Present Moment” at Quogue Gallery in The Hamptons. It’s best not to expect to find towering shiny abstract sculptures of burnished steel as they won’t be found. Instead, the exhibition presents a quieter and intimate side of an artist who is pushing his process in new ways while continuing to create his tried-and-true large-scale sculptures.