Rick Berry paints figures that appear to be caught amid rapid, dance-like motions, which he captures with a flurry of brisk, gestural marks. What the viewer gets are not precise renderings of graceful limbs, but expressive images that convey their subjects’ energy. Berry’s style evokes Abstract Expressionism with its visceral textures, but, ultimately, he reigns in his wild paint strokes to create recognizable, human shapes. Though his paintings are figurative, however, they’re not necessarily narrative. Throughout his body of work, one can see the evidence of his process, which seems to be at the forefront even when viewing the finished product.
Jamian Juliano-Villani, known for stirring acrylic paintings packed with dark humor and sprawling references, offers new works in a show at Massimo De Carlo London titled "Let's Kill Nicole." She offers both new paintings and sculptures in the display, which runs through Sept. 21. Juliano-Villani's work is known for pulling in a variety of familiar imagery from fashion, illustration, and other industries, with conversations emerging over what constitutes referencing versus appropriation. “Everything is a reference,” she’s insisted.
Conveying elapsed time and bombastic energy, Mitchell Villa’s process involves long strokes and motions that use his entire body. The self-taught painter depicts scenes that range from Biblical allusions to horror to intimate domestic portraits. Works like the triptych "Dinner Party" show the artist’s penchant for controlled cacophony.
Anachronistic worlds painted by