Renowned illustrator, comic book artist and fashion designer James Jean (BFA 2001 Illustration) presents “Parallel Lines,” a solo exhibition of paintings and drawings that fuse together universal themes, realism and mythology. 
Jean’s drawings suggest personal fairy tales mixed with decorative abstraction, and his paintings comment on contemporary life. The underlying tension within disparate, parallel worlds is apparent in all of Jean’s work. On view at Tilton Gallery, 8 East 76th Street, through February 16.
BFA Illustration and Cartoon Department faculty member Gary Panter’s exhibit “The Magnetic Lady” includes paintings on paper that combine the manic energy of mass media with the narrative brevity of cartoon culture. Known for his jagged line and raw brushstroke, Panter presents chaotic image-strewn landscapes as well as more axiomatic works that center on filmic archetypes. Widely recognized as one of the most influential founders of the Los Angeles punk aesthetic, Panter’s “punk, nuclear, hillbilly” sensibility has been a presence in the art world since the late 1970s. On view at Fredericks and Freiser Gallery, 536 West 24th Street, through February 23.
“Cut Torn Folded Ripped” is an exhibition of rare, early works on paper by SVA alumnus Sol LeWitt (1953 Illustration). These drawings are some of the artist’s least known works and include formative pieces that led to his use of grids, basic geometric motifs and ideas related to dislocation and site. LeWitt played a major role in the minimalist and conceptual art movement of the 1960s. On view at James Cohan Gallery, 533 West 26th Street, through February 9.
Image: James Jean, TXT, 2012, acrylic on synthetic textile, 72 x 48 inches.