Peter Bradley organized the De Luxe Show in Houston in 1971 — among the first racially integrated exhibitions of abstract art in America — and then spent decades painting almost entirely outside the market's attention. Burning On is a full Chelsea room of his work at the point where the art world has finally circled back, and the paintings themselves are unashamedly physical: poured, sprayed, built up in strata of colour. If you want a show with an actual argument about who got written out of ab
What to expect
Karma's 26th Street space is a large, high-ceilinged room that gives the paintings the distance they need, and the surfaces reward walking right up to them afterwards. Expect large-scale abstraction with poured and sprayed passages, heavy in colour. Free entry, no ticket, and typically uncrowded on a summer afternoon.
Good to know
- 549 West 26th Street between Tenth and Eleventh; the C/E to 23rd Street is a seven-minute walk.
- Free admission and no booking — Karma is a commercial gallery.
- Chelsea galleries close Sunday and Monday; Saturday afternoon is safest.
- View the paintings from across the room first, then up close — the poured surfaces change completely.
- Karma's bookstore branches are worth a detour if you are already downtown.
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Common questions
Is Peter Bradley: Burning On free?
Yes — Karma is a commercial gallery and admission is free with no reservation.
Who is Peter Bradley?
An American abstract painter born in 1940 who organized the 1971 De Luxe Show in Houston, one of the first racially integrated exhibitions of abstract art in the United States.
Where is Karma's Chelsea space?
549 West 26th Street between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues.
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