Menu
The New Contemporary Art Magazine

Opening Night: Lori Earley’s “The Devil’s Pantomime” at Opera Gallery

On Saturday, June 7, the eminent pop surrealist painter Lori Earley opened a solo show at Opera Gallery in Soho, New York, featuring 34 new oil paintings as well as earlier portraiture drawings of her iconic female characters. The exhibition “The Devil's Pantomime” is opulent in its simplicity. The artist beckons an otherworldly beauty by magnifying the intrinsic features of a woman's face, and reaches the sensory-equivalent of how silk stockings, leather, and dewy skin feels in pure, color form.

Lori Earley. Right Before the Rain. Oil on board.

On Saturday, June 7, the eminent pop surrealist painter Lori Earley (HF Vol. 13 cover artist) opened a solo show at Opera Gallery in Soho, New York, featuring 34 new oil paintings as well as earlier portraiture drawings of her iconic female characters. The exhibition “The Devil’s Pantomime” is opulent in its simplicity. The artist beckons an otherworldly beauty by magnifying the intrinsic features of a woman’s face, and reaches the sensory-equivalent of how silk stockings, leather, and dewy skin feels in pure, color form.

The most satisfying aspect of viewing Earley’s show in person is the unavoidable experience of being overwhelmed by the visceral fervor that the artist originally instilled in her work — physically, through meticulous dark-to-light layers of paint, as well as psychologically, by giving her characters emotional depth and unique temperaments. The artist often paints the women with pastel-colored hair. They gaze back with learned, unforgiving eyes, as if Earley is allowing her portraits the power of choice. “The Devil’s Pantomime,” Earley’s largest show to date, celebrates the artist’s nearly-obsessive attention to finding beauty in the lonesome and solitary dimensions of her characters.

“The Devil’s Pantomime” will be on view at Opera Gallery through June 26.

Lori Earley next to her work. Right Before the Rain. Oil on board.

Lori Earley. Anhedonia. Oil on board.

Lori Earley. The Transformation. Oil on board.

Installation view of “The Devil’s Pantomime.”

Lori Earley. Women in the Green Dress. Oil on board.

Lori Earley. Black-Eyed Susan (Please Remember…). Oil on board.

Installation view at Opera Gallery.

Lori Earley at Opera Gallery in New York City.

Lori Earley. La Femme Aux Cheveux De Lilas. Oil on board.

Left: Right Before the Rain. Oil on board. Right: Cocktail Hour. Oil on board.

Lori Earley. Denise. Oil on board.

Lori Earley at Opera Gallery in New York City.

Portrait study drawing.

Lori Earley. The Woman Who Ignored the Mantis’ Warning. Oil on board.

Lori Earley. Cocktail Hour. Oil on board.

Meta
Share
Facebook
Reddit
Pinterest
Email
Related Articles
A destination for international New Contemporary Art in Rome, Dorothy Circus Gallery was founded in 2007 by the passionate and savvy Alexandra Mazzanti. Mazzanti brought her extensive knowledge of both art history and contemporary art to the table, coupled with her keen awareness of pressing social issues. Dorothy Circus Gallery has not only hosted the solo shows of some prominent international artists like Ray Caesar, Joe Sorren and Kazuki Takamatsu — they've collaborated with historical Italian museums such as the Casa dell'Architettura in Rome and Palazzo Paesana in Turin, putting New Contemporary Art in dialogue with the established canon. Mazzanti's latest endeavor is a social activism-oriented art project called "Spray For Your Rights," a series of exhibitions that features street artists whose work speaks out on a variety of topics, from immigrants' rights to feminism. We spoke with Mazzanti about the history of her gallery, her future ambitions and her personal art collection. Read the exclusive interview after the jump.
Kit Mizeres creates vibrant gouache and watercolor works packed with surreal elements and influences. An artist and illustrator "living on the road," both Mizeres and her work travels the country for shows and projects.
In painter-cartoonist Guy Colwell’s new show at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, there’s a particular focus on complex relationships between humans and animals. “The Wayward Ape,” running April 5-28, tracks how our evolution has gone beyond nature’s intentions. The resulting explorations look at both violence and ignorance. Colwell was last featured on HiFructose.com here.
Tasha Kusama explores the projected self vs. reality in her striking oil paintings. Toying with dualities, the artist explores the soft and hard edges of coming of age in the current cultural landscape. The painter says these recent works are partly inspired by being a parent:

Subscribe to the Hi-Fructose Mailing List