Thinkspace Projects is pleased to present Habitat, a group show featuring the work of Kevin Peterson, Kisung Koh, Jacub Gagnon, and Anthony Solano. The gallery is thrilled to bring together four of their surreal naturalist painters for one impactful exhibition. Each artist has delivered new work for the show, pushing the boundaries of their previous creations, ultimately creating some of their strongest pieces to date.
Nevada-born Kevin Peterson spent his childhood in many places from Nevada to Michigan to Washington, finally arriving in Texas in 1996, where he studied both Fine Art and Psychology. With a varied background in both mental health and art, Peterson infuses each of his pieces with complex and layered emotion. His own struggle with drugs and alcohol is what led him back to art, which he now immerses himself in fully. It is this deep connection with and passion for his work that is undeniably apparent in each piece.
South Korean artist Kisung Koh uses his art to open gateways into nature’s spiritual dimensions and explores the intimate connections he has built with wildlife during his lifetime. Drawing heavily on the memories and dreams provided to him by the sheer awe-inspiring spectacles he has witnessed in the great outdoors, Koh pays tribute by creating imagery that is suggestive of the metaphysical energies and bonds which can exist between two living creatures, even when interacting from a distance. Through his art, Koh captures the essence and beauty of the natural world, reminding his audience that their own relationships with it are precious and rewarding.
Jacub Gagnon is one of Toronto’s great emerging contemporary artists, known for his curious backgrounds of void space, whimsical representations of naive fauna, and their juxtaposition with human objects. Through the use of meticulous blending, layers, and remarkable detail, Jacub tells the story of a world that is sweet as well as disturbing, showcasing how humans manipulate and borrow from nature. Using small brushes and handling them as he would a pencil, Jacub is able to achieve an illustrative quality that edges into the peculiar world of Pop Surrealism. This colorful, almost child-like fantasy renders the troubling issues that face the habitats and species of our time into otherworldly depictions that capture the imagination.
Having spent his childhood years between California and Guadalajara, Mexico, artist Anthony Solano turned to art at a young age, seeing it as both a source of escape and comfort. In high school he was exposed to painting for the first time, sparking what would become his life’s passion. Anthony, a self-taught painter, now resides in Portland, Oregon and credits the local landscape for a major creative shift, from abstract painting to the surreal genre that he currently practices. His work explores today’s environmental conflicts, communicated with vibrant hyper-realistic imagery and thought-provoking storytelling. A sense of optimism and hope within his work allows the viewer to experience a complex, emotional response.
These artists and their works display an apparent harmony, complimenting each other with elements of the natural world and surrealist attitudes.
