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A celebration of life, unique expression, and selfhood, the work of Louis Fratino comes back to AOC, this time displayed across the space of Ciaccia Levi Gallery, Paris. The figurative compositions of the artist, present portrait-like representations of subjects as well as still lives and landscapes. Each piece in Growths of the earth displays an intimate moment of sensory experiences, be it through the eyes of the subjects, or through the eyes of the viewer. On view through July 10th, the depth of Fratino’s work will continue to fully embody the essence of pride of expression. Below we have chosen a selection of complete images of works, but with an emphasis in the details, the texture, and the artist’s stroke.

Large Flowers, 2021, oil on canvas, Courtesy of the Artist and Ciaccia Levi, Paris. Photography: Aurélien Mole

Like the versatility of subject matter in the paintings across this exhibition, is the depth in conceptual reach in Fratino’s work. The initial text in the introduction above, redacted on the exhibition press release, is an excerpt from Leaves on Grass, a staple of poetic expression by Walt Whitman. Like the text, delicate, intricate and complex, are each of the works in the exhibition. The collection of new works depicts a tongue-in-cheeck display of his signature approach to the canvas. In both color palette and composition, each stroke speaks volumes of Fratino’s artistic development.

An Argument, 2021, oil on canvas, 177,3 × 165,2 × 4,4 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Ciaccia Levi, Paris. Photographs: Aurélien Mole

In the selection of images provided, the beautifully photographed details of canvas photographed by Aurélien Mole, we are able to experience the exhibition of new paintings up close. Every inch in each composition is replete with details and hidden figures that one can only fully appreciate if one looks closely at the surface canvas. Common household objects appear repeatedly throughout the scenes, like these subjects all existed within the same universe. Loose sheets of pencil sketches, a bowl of nails sitting behind a flower vase with the flowers in their prime, an empty water glass, and sweet embraces dominate the scenes, and fill the viewer with a sense of domestic bliss.

Detail: Anemones and Mimosas, 2021, oil and collage on canvas, 73,7 × 58,5 × 4 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Ciaccia Levi, Paris. Photographs: Aurélien Mole

Experiencing each piece as an identity, the gallery space attracts the viewer to step backwards and experience the large paintings, and to inch closer to closely look at the smaller works. Continue scrolling down to see more images. Make sure to experience the wonderfully executed, curated, and photographed exhibition Growths of the eatrh by Louis Fratino.

Detail: Barn Swallow, 2021, oil on canvas, 22 × 30,5 × 2 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Ciaccia Levi, Paris. Photographs: Aurélien Mole

Courtesy of the Artist and Ciaccia Levi, Paris. Photographs: Aurélien Mole

Courtesy of the Artist and Ciaccia Levi, Paris. Photographs: Aurélien Mole

Naked You, 2021, oil on canvas, 35,5 × 27,9 × 2,5 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and

The post Join Us in Welcoming Louis Fratino’s Latest Body of Work “Growths of the earth” at Ciaccia Levi, Paris appeared first on Art of Choice.

Displaced Persons, 2020, Oil, dispersion adhesive, nylon stockings on Canvas, 195 x 310 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Gagosian, NY. Photo by: Jochen Littkemann

The work of Baeslitz is known to have navigated a wide array of concepts and historical movements like “Dada — as seen in the work of Hannah Höch, George Grosz, and others”, as well as other inspirations like “Willem de Kooning and Philip Guston as his key influences.” His artistic path looks at the human figure, this time represented through a new approach of painting over nylon stockings and tulle fabrics, or using them as stamps that make up the subject. These subjects bring about increasing points of consideration and questions to ask, “emerged out of the catastrophes of the First World War, so does Baselitz’s title herald a spirited reawakening from the ravages and restrictions of the current pandemic.” Through the process of print and repetition, the artist provides an added level of transparency in his productions. 

Spaziergang am Meer, 2021, Acrylic, dispersion adhesive and nylon stockings on Canvas, 300 x 400 cm, Courtesy of the Artist, and Gagosian NY. Photo by: Jochen Littkemann

These playful, diverse, creative, and delicate works show a steady progression from making beautiful prints using the stocking as a stamping tool— like Leneh, 2020 — and turned into a collage exploration of paint and fabric, in monochrome of black, white, and gold, while maintaining a consistent composition as his signature style. Der katalanische Raucher: Osborne | Wer wirft den ersten Stein |  mallorquinischer Karren, 2021, the enchanting triptych that undoubtedly stole the show. Seen below, the bold trio provides a refreshing and relatable perspective given our shared experience of the past year. The image of the stocking as an icon of fashion, the history of femininity and women, and the symbolic weight that comes through that. 

Leneh kentlerah fran, 2020, Oil on Canvas, 210 x 132 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Gagosian, NY. Photo by: Jochen Littkemann

On view through the gallery space, these large scale works are like walking down the path of this exceptional artist’s life. His latest body of work presents a wholehearted product to what life through a pandemic changed within, while keeping true to his signature motifs. Be sure to make your way to the gallery space before the 12th, if you’re able! 

Lady Art Painting II, 2020, Oil, dispersion adhesive, and nylon stockings on Canvas, 300 x 180 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Gagosian, NY. Photo by: Jochen Littkemann

Spanisches Bild, 2021, Oil, gold pigment, dispersion adhesive, fabric, nylon stockings, 300 x 210 cm, Courtesy of the Artist, and Gagosian, NY. Photo by: Jochen Littkemann

Der katalanische Raucher: Osborne | Wer wirft den ersten Stein |  mallorquinischer Karren, 2021, 300 x 120 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Gagosian, NY. Photo by: Jochen Littkemann

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Exhibition View (L-R) Ernst Yohji Jaeger’s Untitled 6, 2019; Reggie Burrows Hodges, Big We’ll, 2020; Caleb Hahne, Rocked In The Arms of Earth, 2020; Jenna Gribbon, Lunch Touch, 2020, Courtesy of the Artists and the FLAG Art Foundation, Photo by Steven Probert

On view at the FLAG Art Foundation, NY, is the group show and I will hear you in my heart of heart, that compiles the work of 35 artists of varying backgrounds. Hung across the space, new works are exhibited which allude to themes of humanity, companionship and family through the eyes of each of this multicultural, multi-generational group of artists. Among the roster, names that are familiar to AOC come up, like Salman Toor, Sally J. Han, and Danielle McKinney, among others. On view through mid August in their Chelsea gallery space, Heart of heart is a wonderful collection of relevant emerging art and the underlying themes that connect it. 

Exhibition View (L-R): Ann Craven, Two Love Birds (Yellow Orchids), 2021; Gareth Cadwallader, Orange Juice, 2015; Sally J. Han, Sunset, 2021; GaHee Park, Shallow Night, 2018, Courtesy of the Artists and the FLAG Art Foundation, Photo by Steven Probert

The multiple works that make up this exhibition are hung in an almost classical collection style. With little wall space between each piece, that they seem to be eager to converse with each other. The variation in styles, color palettes, compositions and approaches in craft speak volumes of the authenticity in expression, and the expansiveness in identity available in each of these figurative painters.

Danielle McKinney (b. 1981) To Talk About God, 2020 Acrylic on canvas panel 16 x 12 inches (40.6 x 30.5 cm), Courtesy of the Artists and the FLAG Art Foundation

Featured not so long ago at Art of Choice, Danielle McKinney is one of the featured artists that make up this diverse group of artists. To Talk About God, 2020, with its dense green background, single subject seated back on a chair, with a rebutting presence of religious iconography in the composition, is the tip of the iceberg of McKinney’s ability to demonstrate sensation and complex symbolism. The wide brushstrokes add a level of expressionism to the artist’s figurative style, and her fearless use of bright colors, speak to her background, and her intentional presence in each piece.

Jenna Gribbon (b. 1979) Lunch Touch, 2020 Oil on Linen 12 x 9 inches (30.5 x 22.9 cm), Courtesy of the Artists and the FLAG Art Foundation

Also making an appearance are Jenna Gribbon’s expressly titillating oil paintings. Usually known for her semi-nude portraits of other artists and colleagues, this time we see an intimate scene of a moment of impulse, through the eyes of a woman in a red dress. As a viewer, one can almost feel the soft cotton skirt of the dress, sliding up the leg. The bright colors used by the artist are blended through a characteristic angular movement.

Tajh Rust (b. 1989) If I had a dream, 2021 Oil on canvas 60 x 48 inches (152.4 x 121.9 cm), Courtesy of the Artists and the FLAG Art Foundation

Heart of heart provides the viewer with a complex interaction. Each work of art represents the artist through their unique figurative styles. Through visual language, each of the artists is speaking of their conceived realities, across cultures, languages, and time zones. And I will hear you in my heart of heart is a true culmination of a combined perception of the world we live in. Continue scrolling down to see more images, and make sure to visit the FLAG Art Foundation if you have the chance to do so.

Exhibition View (L-R) Ernst Yohji Jaeger’s Untitled 6, 2019; Reggie Burrows Hodges’s Big We’ll, 2020; Caleb Hahne’s Rocked In The Arms of Earth, 2020; and Jenna Gribbon’s Lunch Touch, 2020, Courtesy of the Artists and the FLAG Art Foundation, Photo by Steven Probert

Jordan Casteel (b. 1989), Golden Girl, 2019, Oil on canvas, 72 x 56 inches (182.88 x 142.24 cm), Courtesy of the Artists and the FLAG Art Foundation

Somaya Critchlow’s Petworth Beauty (Abigail), 2020; Carroll Dunham’s Mud Men, 2017; and Louis Fratino’s Brushing our Teeth, 2020, Courtesy of the Artists and the FLAG Art Foundation, Photo by Steven Probert

Tajh Rust’s If I had a dream, 2021; Anthony Cudahy’s Us (with Jacob’s Ladder, Apocalypse Tree, Lion), 2020; and Lisa Yuskavage’s Mutualism, 2006, Courtesy of the Artists and the FLAG Art Foundation, Photo by Steven Probert

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Exhibition view of Ivy Haldeman: Twice, Courtesy of the Artist and Downs & Ross, NY

The sensible, sweetly ironic, and brilliant scenes of anthropomorphous hot dogs, and hollowed suits, in Ivy Haldeman: Twice, will speak to the viewer across a myriad of depths. Across the gallery space, the viewer experiences sensation in a world full of dichotomies and contradictions. Through her craft, the artist is able to portray the most intimate human moments of intimacy, without depicting a single one. The New York based artist is breaking through the roof of the Contemporary art market, as collectors are falling in love with these incomparable representations of intimacy. Through June 19, Downs & Ross will be debuting the fabulous body of work that will captivate your mind. 

Two Suits, Step Forward, Point, Cuff Behind Back (Smalt, Blue), 2021. Acrylic on canvas, 83 1/2 × 57 1/2 inches / 212 × 146 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Downs & Ross, NY

Off the bat, Haldeman tackles the contradictions and irony in our human condition through the unusual format of the show’s press release. The complex narrative told in the short story, opens the door through an unexpected perspective. As the viewer walks through the art space and is exposed to the meticulously light-spirited large scale paintings, there is an undeniable message of humanity and solidarity. On the one hand, through the pairs of hollowed out, colorful suit,exhibited in a portrait-like form. These suits interact with each other in such a comfortable way, that the viewer almost forgets that the bodies are missing. On the other, we encounter playful, sensual, light hearted hot dogs that have a caricaturesque essence to them. The smooth lines that make up these compositions allude to countless incredibly fresh windows of interpretation. 

Two Suits, Step Forward, Point, Cuff Behind Back (Smalt, Blue), 2021. Acrylic on canvas, 83 1/2 × 57 1/2 inches / 212 × 146 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Downs & Ross, NY

Ivy Haldeman is a natural born artist, who is well educated in the art world. Through her creative process, the artist interacts conscientiously with the artwork and its final product. “Titanium dioxide is a storied pigment,” she explains. “They put it in candy to make it opaque; they put it in sunscreen to block or reflect the sun.” Over the titanium comes transparent color upon transparent color. The light reflects off the titanium, giving the work a delicious brightness. “I want the work to feel open, like a window or a screen,” she says1. And let’s not forget to mention the complex and ironically hilarious fact that these fabulous faces and eyelashes, are in fact hot dogs in buns. The mysterious stuffed  Haldeman’s work is simply perfect to lighten anyone’s mood. And to incorporate an added layer of voyeuristic commentary, the subtle hole in the wall titled Aperture, Full Figure, Back Forward, Shins Cross, 2021; this exhibition has it all.

Two Suits, Face to Face, Cuff Grasped (Smalt, Red), 2021. Acrylic on canvas, 67 × 60 inches / 170 × 152 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Downs & Ross, NY

My absolute favorite of all these is the pair Twice Colossus, Index to Index, Thumb to Thumb, Glance Back (Diamond), 2021, and Twice Colossus, Index Finger to Opposite Thumb, Eye Framed, Wrist Bent (Rectangle), 2021that hang side by side (featured image). The playful, organic, tactile interaction of the two bodies, become almost abstract in these two close-up scenes. As a viewer, I get a sense of friendship and complete comfort I want hanging in my apartment. Continue scrolling down to view the full breadth of Haldeman’s Paintings. 

Ivy Haldeman, Twice Colossus, Index to Index, Thumb to Thumb, Glance Back (Diamond), 2021. Acrylic on canvas, 83 1/2 × 57 1/2 inches / 212 × 146 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Downs & Ross, NY

Twice Colossus, Index Finger to Opposite Thumb, Eye Framed, Wrist Bent (Rectangle), 2021. Acrylic on canvas, 83 1/2 × 57 1/2 inches / 212 × 146 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Downs & Ross, NY

Exhibition view of Ivy Haldeman: Twice, Courtesy of the Artist and Downs & Ross, NY

Hand, Sitting, Index Crossed Over Middle, 2021. Acrylic on canvas, 24 × 16 1/2 inches / 61 × 41,9 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Downs & Ross, NY

Full Figure, Head Leans on Bun Edge, Leg Akimbo, Bottom Enfolded, 2021. Acrylic on canvas, 57 1/2 × 83 1/2 inches / 146 × 212 cm, Courtesy of the Artist and Downs & Ross, NY

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Whisper, 2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 11 x 14 in., Courtesy of the Artist and Fortnight Institute, NY

Through the gallery space, each painting takes on its own dialogue with the viewer. Each of the depicted subjects seems to have been frozen in time, captured in an estranged moment of solitude. The artist works closely with the gaze of the subject in order to engage the viewer through the complexities of deep thought. Through the use of gaze, subjects range from looking at the viewer straight in the eye, like Whisper, 2021 (above), to be seemingly unaware of the viewers’ presence, as is Ritual, 2021 (further down) Throughout her body of work, McKinney’s portraits are individual entities, although they coexist in the same universe. The bright pink nail polish, present in the majority of the works, strings together a narrative and enhances the viewer’s experience.

Let’s be real, 2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 16 x 20 in., Courtesy of the Artist and Fortnight Institute, NY

Aside from the intensity in McKinney’s subjects’ gazes, which suggest a strength seldom seen in the face of solitude, the artist’s use of color adds a major contribution to the body of work. The artist depicts bright colors that contrast against the subjects’ skin tone to produce balanced compositions. Her use of color contributes to the overall narrative of the work, as similar bursts of blues, oranges, or bright pinks generate the viewer to think of Saw My Shadow as either a coalition of moments in a single person’s life. As the viewer, one can’t help but feel identified in these works. The artist’s style varies from depicting portraits with little to no detail of the environment around the subject, to compositions where the subject appears as the sole individual in a domestic space. Either way, the viewer can’t help but feel an urge to join in this domestic comfort.

Daddy’s Girl, 2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 24 x 20 in., Courtesy of the Artist and Fortnight Institute, NY

Present in her work is an unmistakeable sense of calm and tranquility. The narrative, brought individually through each artwork, and strung together through similarities in color palettes, heighten the viewers’ senses. Te evident comfort present in the eyes and composure of the subjects allow the viewer to immerse themselves in each artwork and to feel within the depicted environment. To hear the water of the shower hitting against turquoise tiles, to hear the silence in a long train of thought, are elements of domestic everyday life that most can relate with. As an effect, the subject and the viewer converse in the presence of this environment, and the sense of calm in the body of work propagates itself into the gallery space and the viewer’s eye.

Ritual, 2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 12 x 16 in., Courtesy of the Artist and Fortnight Institute, NY

Walking through the gallery space, faced with these relatively small acrylic paintings forces the viewer to get close to each work in order to fully absorb the detail in the figurative work. Each painting acts as a dialogue space where one is made to think about those moments throughout the day, where in a split second one’s mind wanders into a dimension where no other things exist other than your own existence. Those moments of self care, solitude and deep thought in which all of McKinney’s subjects reside in, become extended through the viewer. Continue scrolling to see the rest of McKinney’s body of work, and if you’re able, make sure to visit the exhibition at Fortnight Institute, New York.

Daybreak, 2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 11 x 14 in., Courtesy of the Artist and Fortnight Institute, NY

Quiet Mind, 2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 24 x 30 in., Courtesy of the Artist and Fortnight Institute, NY

Face Mask With Prayer, 2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 11 x 14 in., Courtesy of the Artist and Fortnight Institute, NY

Prophetic, 2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 16 x 20 in., Courtesy of the Artist and Fortnight Institute, NY

Mala Beads, 2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 12 x 16 in., Courtesy of the Artist and Fortnight Institute, NY

Secret Garden, 2021, Acrylic on Canvas, 16 x 20 in., Courtesy of the Artist and Fortnight Institute, NY

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Bull uses the mind’s eye as a driving factor in the production of her work. Through her clear understanding of light and composition, each painting lures the viewer in through its color combinations. As a dialogue commences and the mind’s associative attempts begin to take hold, the viewer is faced with a universe of avenues through which they can interpret each work. Because there’s no sense to be made within the ebbing and flowing of the figures that appear and disappear, not to mention the bizarre and creative titles of each painting, the meaning of each work shifts constantly between the artist’s presence through her stroke, and the viewers’ interpretation. Last Dial (above) for example, contains an added component of surrealism. As a constant subject to pareidolia, my mind goes straight into finding a face within such a level of abstraction.

The artist works closely within the realm of the unknown, to generate an active dydactic between the works on canvas and the viewer experiencing them. Broad characterizations of order and chaos, of reality and the lack thereof, all play a major role in the work of Lucy Bull. “Unable to discern what came first or last, time and space appear for artist and viewer alike as elliptical, self-generating feedback loops. The effect is a kind of rapturous disorientation, one made more intense by Bull’s color combinations which reach toward the etheral, border on the grotesque, and expose the tender, vulnerable places where [the] conscious and unconscious collide”. The result is a collection of dream-like realities, each as deep in concept, as intricate in detail and identity.

The LA based artist has often worked with these conceptual dynamics. Skunk Grove, however, brings her practice to reach new heights– and depths– as she draws from the human psyche and harnesses tose forces to carry out her work. After a year (and a quarter) of such world change, seeing Bull’s work on canvas feels like seeing into one’s own mind. The artist has successfully materialized the abstract and nonsensical nature of the subconscious, and we can’t help but feel closely related to her work.  Continue scrolling to see featured works in detail.

Detail of Crooked Coda, 2020 oil on linen, 48 x 36 x 1 1/2 inches, Courtesy of the artist and David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles, Photography: Jeff McLane

Detail of Evening Switch, 2021 oil on linen, 79 x 54 x 1 inches, Courtesy of the artist and David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles, Photography: Jeff McLane

Skunk Grove Installation shot, Courtesy of the artist and David Kordansky Gallery, Los Angeles, Photography: Jeff McLane

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Singer of Psalm, 2020, Oil stick, oil pastel, holy spirit, 128.9 x 121.9 cm, 721/8 x 48 in., Courtesy of the Artist and Almine Rech, Brussels

Tramaine’s work is based in the study of portraits. Off the bat, as visual interpreters, we see how the artist has a clear understanding of classical forms of composition, and she evidently brings that to her own style. The monochromatic backgrounds are of bold color that generate an instant feeling of the depicted subject. As we look at the garments or torsos, they also  contribute to understanding the subject. The artist is bringing forward her own visual perception of biblical figures, in ways that have rarely been seen in a rising contemporary artist. She performs a methodical structure of symbols and messages to be read exclusively in a devotional context. The portraits exhibited in Evidence of Grace are an homage to the complexities presented to the U.S. and the world in 2020. “The resurgence of racial tensions in North America’s mainstream discourse, and the Black Lives Matter movement that has shifted our social consciousness”, were the predominant themes occurring in pre-COVID United States. Along which, of course, came the worldwide pandemic, which in its course left a subsequent societal mess. The result, a collection of large scale paintings that present themselves as an approach to navigate and try to understand these occurrences by looking inward.

Tramaine approaches the work with a calculated, studied, and meditated depth, that resembles that of a prophet. Throughout her practice, it’s evident that her work exists fully all in one room, because they are all crucial cogs in a larger story. All that methodical backdrop is intensified when one is surrounded by this collection of massive paintings asking to be conversed with. One quickly comes to realise the treasure Tramaine’s work is. It’s easy to become lost in a philosophical analysis of this œuvre, however an equally important aspect to discuss is the artist’s style. Her ability to communicate identity through these figurative, abstract portraits come to life through the stroke. Think about it. Each of these paintings is at least 72 inches high. Each of these strokes is a strong, physical movement that is actually a song (or dare we say “hymn”) of expression, passion, fear, anguish, in the face of her subjects.

The facial features of the subjects, abstract and figurative, vary from subject to subject in the exhibition. Something that strikes me as the viewer is the consistency of seeing multiple sets of eyes on the subject in each painting. it made me see the ever-changing, multifaceted experiences that have become our daily lives. The happiness, hope, and new-found appreciation, being counterbalanced by uncertainty, fear and anguish. It’s important to point out the equal force used on both parts of this balance. The artist is able to portray that just as powerful as is fear to set us back, is the power of happiness and beauty, and our ability to bounce back. Tramaine’s work is reassuring of her faith in humanity, as well as is her fear of humanity. The duality appears all through the visual components used in her work. As mentioned in the press release, this unapologetic, genuine, body of work could easily be argued as her best work…yet. Genesis Tramaine’s culmination of visual talent and a deep self-understanding of both body and spirit, really brings us to only to early wait for whatever she comes up with next.

Genesis Tramaine’s solo show was on view from early January through February, 2021. It was a fabulous treasure to stumble upon while strolling during a cold Brussels winter that provided the opportunity to become hopeful, if only for a few minutes, of what the prospects of a new year could bring our way. Like I said before, we are left with the anticipation of Tramaine’s visual and spiritual path. Continue scrolling down to see more works in Evidence of Grace.

Annointed Son, Oil Stick, oil pastel, holy spirit, 182.9 x 121.9 x 6.3 cm, 72 1/8 x 48 x 2 1/2 in, courtesy of the Artist and Almine Rech, Brussels

Saint Abigail, 2020, Oil stick, oil pastel, holy spirit, 182,9 x 121.9 x 6.3 cm, 72 1/8 x 48 x 2 1/2 in, Courtesy of the Artist and Almine Rech, Brussels

Bond of Angels, 2020, Oil Stick, Oil Pastel, holy spirit, 182.9 x 121.9 x 6.3cm, 72 1/8 x 48 x 21/2 in, courtesy of the Artist and Almine Rech, Brussels

First I Believed, 2020, Oil stick, oil pastel, holy spirit, 182.9 x 121.9 x 6.3cm, 72 1/8 x 48 x 2 1/2 in, Courtesy of the Artist and Almine Rech, Brussels

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There is much to be said about the symbolic, stylistic and chromatic approach to Smith’s work. Looking first and foremost at the broom. The olde caricature styled broom seen often in early animation productions, suggests an understanding of the historical figuration and representation of the object. Reminiscent specifically to the Fantasia 2000 rendition of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, a 1797 poem by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe. In the story, the apprentice underestimates the power of the sorcerer’s hat, and brings inanimate objects (including the broom) as an attempt to lighten his own workload. The mannerisms of these brooms once they come to life, the way they seem to produce already-existing arms that somehow hide from view once the object is no longer animate, as well as the sensitivity through the depiction of individual strains that make up the brush, all contribute to attributing the object to a symbolic representation of humans.

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Against the evening light, sunlight fills the gallery entrance, and the viewer is face to face with the first piece of the exhibition. Larry Johnson’s Untitled (A Quiet Life), 1990 (seen above), introduces the viewer to the exhibition with a monologue much like the introduction of Shakespeare’s Richard III, “Now is the winter of our discontent / Made glorious summer by this sun of York”. The enormous photograph draws the viewer into a universe of introspection, which leaves us wondering about the impact of our contemporary ways. Simply staring at the painting outside of its textual content, the surrealness of the composition alludes questions. The snowy mountains, the spiked evergreens, the snowy plains on which the scroll of parchment stands on its own like performing a song.

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