Melting sensuality into abstraction, “Cosmo” sets an early benchmark for summer group exhibitions with its enjoyably lighthearted vibe. The show’s relaxed play with material and color begins in the gallery’s hallway with Polly Apfelbaum’s Big Family, two old pastel-striped pillowcases scattered with pink-dyed velvet zits in a combination that’s a lot more charming than it sounds. Apfelbaum, the exhibit’s elder statesperson, also contributes a velvet sheet patterned with barcodelike bands of softly bleeding colored ink, and best of all, five abstract ceramic plaques, employing a muted palette that exploits the glaze’s textural subtleties to the fullest. Deft mixtures of strokes, scrapes and extrusions, they are small wonders. Read More