Ashley Eliza Williams' latest painting series is called "Sentient," and for good reason. Williams paints biomorphic shapes that resemble both rocks and flesh. Overgrown with colorful moss, these mysterious shapes float in mid air or stand solemnly amid desolate landscapes. Their alien flora seems to blossom uncontrollably, evoking bacteria and plant life alike. Its ability to grow in otherwise desolate spaces gestures towards the tenacity of living things.
Ashley Eliza Williams’ latest painting series is called “Sentient,” and for good reason. Williams paints biomorphic shapes that resemble both rocks and flesh. Overgrown with colorful moss, these mysterious shapes float in mid air or stand solemnly amid desolate landscapes. Their alien flora seems to blossom uncontrollably, evoking bacteria and plant life alike. Its ability to grow in otherwise desolate spaces gestures towards the tenacity of living things.
The action-filled paintings of Conor Harrington pit nameless political tribes against each other. His explorations of patriotism and contemporary social themes come in the form of Baroque figures, combining classical oil painting techniques and graffiti influences. The artist most recently expressed this thread in "The Story of Us and Them" at HENI Gallery in London.
Joe Coleman's multi-faceted practice, encompassing painting, performance, and writing, has long made him a revered figure in underground art. In his upcoming show at Andrew Edlin Gallery in New York (where Coleman first emerged), "Joe Coleman and The Shadow Self," 25 years of the artist's work is examined. The show kicks off Oct. 25 and runs through Dec. 7 at the space.
The cerebral paintings of Chris Mars pack a new show at Copro Gallery, with a collection of surreal works that very in both size and scope. His new solo effort kicks off on May 11 and runs through June 1. (Mars was last featured on HiFructose.com here and here.) Works such as "Relativity" (below) show the artist's knack for embedding visages in the contours of structures.
Berkeley painter Deth P. Sun's work, taken a whole, can be read almost like a comic book. With each solo show, his blank-eyed cat character — whom longtime fans have come to know well — returns for new adventures. Coming up on April 25, the artist has a solo show at Grumpy Bert in Brooklyn titled "Being and Nothingness." This time, his mystical feline tackles themes of global proportions. Set against a backdrop of a star-lit sky, Sun places the microcosm of his protagonist's world in the larger context of the universe. Amid the endearing visuals are bouts of melancholy as our hero ultimately must face his own mortality. "Being and Nothingness" will be on view through May 24.
