‘New York’ Magazine Loves William Powhida. Sort of.

Why should you check out William Powhida’s solo show tonight at Chelsea’s Schroeder Romero gallery? Because New York Magazine told you so. At least that’s what the Williamsburg-based emerging artist imagines in This Is a Work of Fiction … 1, a gouache-and-graphite drawing of a fictional cover story dated January 15, 2010. The nine-page, handwritten feature, titled “Genius: Could this man be the GREATEST artist ever? (FUCK YES!),� is an elaborate portrait of Powhida’s background and future successes — and likely a play on Ariel Levy’s January feature “Chasing Dash Snow.� (A second cover line reads: “Dash Snow More? By Ariel Levy.�) What’s the motivation behind it? “I can’t keep sitting around my studio getting drunk and yelling at my assistants forever, can I?� Powhida says in an artist’s statement on the gallery’s Website. “I need some affirmation of my BRILLIANCE.� Is this commentary? An open letter to our editors? A desperate plea for coverage? In any case, we’re flattered. —Rachel Wolff

Related: Chasing Dash Snow [NYM]