Envisioning purgatory as a tonal reversal, as applied to large scale prints of jacaranda trees. Tacita Dean at Marian Goodman Gallery.

Locating a fashion model in a flash-lit overgrowth of flowers. Tyler Mitchell at Jack Shainman Gallery.

Shifting photograms of slide carousels layered with colored gels. Jeanne Liotta at Microscope Gallery.

Extending a self-portrait with scissors into a stepping undulation. Lucas Samaras in the Convergent Evolutions group show at Pace Gallery.

A surreal eyeball on late night television. Bruce Conner at Paula Cooper Gallery.

Using a Bruce Conner silhouette as a container for a collage. Jay DeFeo at Paula Cooper Gallery.

Physically crafting an identity out of cameras, with eyes and lenses as echoing elements. Zanele Muholi at Yancey Richardson.

A floral composite made from layers of multiple exposures, like the textures of a tapestry. Stephen Wilkes at Bryce Wolkowitz Gallery.

Re-shaping André Kertész’ Distortions into a suggestive swirl of body parts as body parts. Justine Kurland in the Higher Pictures Generation booth at the Independent Art Fair.

The elegant tonal splash of spilled coffee. Bruce Nauman in the Nothing Personal group show at Nicole Klagsbrun.

A shimmering crosshatch of distortion. Raymond Hains in the Nothing Personal group show at Nicole Klagsbrun.

Skipping by the haunting presence of a boarded up house. Xaviera Simmons in the Nothing Personal group show at Nicole Klagsbrun.

Reversing the personal associations of a studio wall collage in seething metallic red. Lyle Ashton Harris in the Subliminal Horizons group show at Alexander Gray Associates.

Using mud to performatively reshape bodily curves. Carla Santana in the Engraved into the Body group show at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery.

Interrupting the artist’s face with a cluster of matchboxes. Antonio Tarsis in the Engraved into the Body group show at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery.

A floating pose of crucifixion in murky pink water. Ayrson Heráclito in the Engraved into the Body group show at Tanya Bonakdar Gallery.

The uneasy seductiveness of a dental exam. Torbjørn Rødland in the Wish group show at Metro Pictures.

Staging porn actors in police uniforms, playing with the man in uniform cliché. Heji Shin in the Wish group show at Metro Pictures.

Powerfully facing down Sol LeWitt’s wall of stone. Carrie Mae Weems in the Social Works group show at Gagosian Gallery.

Locating Black couples amid an unforgiving cratered surface. Zalika Azim in the Social Works group show at Gagosian Gallery.