Kevin Peterson’s subjects exist somewhere between a wintery city and sunny Houston, where the artist is currently based. Do a web search on his art, and the response is polarizing. Hyperrealism has become a controversial art form- most admire the excruciating detail, while others disagree with copying tags or photographs. Without question, Petersons’ portraits of children in a graffiti-colored world are emotional and ironic. His current show at Thinkspace gallery, “Remnants”, portrays his own fantasy-urban jungle. Here, his young subjects are newly accompanied by animals such as polar bears, hyenas, foxes and antelope.
Their wild youthfulness combined with decaying buildings creates a powerful visual tension. While this air of destruction might appear dismal, these children are not in distress. Rather, his imagery offers the hope of survival as they skip along in jubilation. In the next room, Adam Caldwell offers a painterly approach to the figure with his solo, “Persona”. Where the deconstruction in Peterson’s art is more literal, Caldwell creates it with gestural brushstrokes. Both achieve a certain grittiness that celebrates the imperfections of real life.
“Remnants” by Kevin Peterson and “Persona” by Adam Caldwell is on view at Thinkspace Gallery through January 3rd.
Toilet paper, keys, pills, and dice are just a few of the every day subjects that Chinese artist Chen Wenbo depicts in his larger than life, hyper-realistic paintings. Chen once explained that he is most interested "in the surface of things", something he explores in his exaggeration of small details. His subjects almost feel important in their massive scale, which allows us to appreciate details like their vibrant colors that would otherwise be overlooked. Most of Chen's works are irregularly shaped, distorted or fractured in a way that looks like broken glass. His latest body of work draws upon the theme of the "Fat Years", inspired by the Chinese dystopian thriller written by Chan Koonchung.
Currently on view at 
With Patricia Piccinini’s current exhibition at Arken Museum of Modern Art in Denmark, the sculptor’s hyperrealistic creations carry a surprising intimacy. Running through Sept. 8, "A World of Love" offers figures and forms across several years from the artist. She was last featured on our website