In Surreal Portraits, Rafael Silveira Tends to the Garden of Consciousness
With scenic vistas for faces, blossoms for eyes, or nothing but coral above the shoulders, Rafael Silveira’s surreal portraits summon aspects of human consciousness that…
Esaí Alfredo’s Oil Paintings Merge Mysterious Narratives with ‘Miami Vice’ Noir
In an iconic 1979 episode of Saturday Night Live, Steve Martin and Bill Murray shuffle onstage dressed like tourists. Peering out beyond the camera—and thus…
From Miniature to Massive, Boundless Landscapes Spill Out of Frame in Barry Hazard’s Paintings
Confined within tiny, ornate frames until inevitably spilling over the edge, Barry Hazard’s expansive landscapes are “spaces for reflecting, contemplation, and surrendering to something larger…
Monumental Murals by Agostino Iacurci Vibrantly Reimagine Urban Facades
Murals by Agostino Iacurci bring drab buildings to life in bold jewel tones, playful patterns, color blocks, and symmetry. Whether painting directly onto bricks and…
In Elaborate ‘Textile Paintings,’ Anne von Freyburg Reframes Femininity in European Art History
As if splashed onto the wall with a monumental brush, Anne von Freyburg’s installations visualize fabric and fiber as gestural splotches of paint. Colors bleed…
Drawing on Religious Renaissance Art, Marc Padeu’s Paintings Monumentalize the Quotidian
Foregrounding vibrant patterns, swathed in bright fabrics, and illuminated by the sun, the figures in Cameroonian artist Marc Padeu’s paintings are imbued with beguiling gravitas….
In Mythic Paintings, Anna Ortiz Conjures the Uncanny of the Borderlands
For Anna Ortiz, the borderlands are a rich source for the uncanny. The Mexican-American artist (previously) was raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, but visited her family…
Inhabitants of a Fictional World Search for Understanding in Damien Cifelli’s Vibrant Paintings
In Tarogramma, the imaginary world conceived by Damien Cifelli (previously) as a setting for his vibrant paintings, plants are plentiful, but animals don’t exist. The…
Traverse Hieronymus Bosch’s ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ with Smarthistory
Have you ever wondered why two large owls sit on either side of the central panel in “The Garden of Earthly Delights” by Hieronymus Bosch?…
A Visit to Amy Sherald’s Studio Revels in Her Commitment to Beauty
From the studio to her childhood bedroom in Columbus, Georgia, to the museum, a new film from Art21 presents a broad portrait of Amy Sherald….