Goings On: Joan Semmel's revolutionary nudes

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Joan Semmel revolutionized the female nude. For centuries, naked women were depicted in art by men as mythic beings and/or sex objects, but in the nineteen-seventies some feminists began reclaiming their eroticism, including Semmel. She first painted couples having sex, and then images of her own body, which became her longtime focus. Semmel’s paintings are simultaneously tender and unflinching, especially those that portray her point of view, looking down at smooth, detailed skin or folded, expressionistic flesh. The Jewish Museum’s thrilling mini-survey highlights her formal experimentation, while an accompanying gallery show features new work—including a remarkable, front-facing, nude self-portrait by the nonagenarian titled “Here I Am” (2025).—Jillian Steinhauer (Jewish Museum, through May 31; Alexander Gray Associates, through May 30.)