By Howard Halle
David Hammons is one of the most important American artists today, though you wouldn’t necessarily know it. An artist of his stature would have been recognized by now in major museum surveys, but as one of the first African-American artists to have emerged in the context of ’60s Conceptualism, he has always remained elusive and apart from the largely white art world as matter of strategy. Not that he’s unknown or hasn’t received significant exposure, but this must-see look back at his 50-year career really belongs at MoMA or the Whitney. The fact that it isn’t is the artist’s own choice, but since it’s being mounted in a gallery venue, it does have the virtue of being free.