Opening Reception: Saturday, October 10 from 6-10PM
* Free and open to all. Come enjoy community, vinyl DJs, an open bar courtesy of Sir Davis, lite bites from Malama Pono, and a special performance at 7PM from Jay Taj + learn more about Indigenous People’s Day from our friends at the SoCal Pacific Islander Community Response Team
On view October 10 – October 31, 2026 __________________________________________________
Thinkspace Projects is excited to host the debut North American solo exhibition from ABYS (aka Julien Brouand) out of France. ‘Oneiria’ will showcase 17 new acrylic paintings from the celebrated French street artist.
Known for his striking public murals and technical graffiti roots, ABYS has transitioned his signature larger-than-life characters onto delicate gallery mediums for ‘Oneiria.’ This special exhibit offers an intimate look at the evolution of ABYS’s illustrative mythology and his intricate narrative universe, populated by an expressive gallery of wacky, stylized characters that bridge modern animation with contemporary art.
Our interview with ABYS shares his most memorable moment that has influenced his artistic journey, explains his creative process and recurring themes/subjects, and reveals his most unexpected inspiration he would like to pursue.
• What motivated or inspired the collection you’re presenting in this exhibition?
« Oneiria » is a small journey on the border between reality and the world of dreams. Each painting evokes an idea of travel, of movement, like an odyssey inspired by the existing world, to which I bring my own more imaginary vision.
From the desert to the depths of the sea, through the jungle and more fantastical lands, I tried to explore a wide range of ideas in order to offer an experience that is rich and varied.
‘Macula’
• Could you walk us through your creative process from conception to completion of a piece?
I don’t really have a specific process. I try to find a way to make different elements that I find interesting, either visually or symbolically, coexist harmoniously.
I have a lot of sketchbooks filled with bits and pieces of ideas here and there, and a lot of unfinished things. When I need inspiration, I flip through them, pick things out, take fragments of ideas I had at some point, and look for a way to complete and improve them until I have a coherent whole.
Often, I start a painting with a general foundation and then add details as I go, because new ideas come to me while I’m painting.
• Are there any recurring themes or symbols in your paintings? If so, what do they represent to you?
In general, my painting is inspired by organic forms. I like natural shapes, and I love the beauty and diversity of the animal and plant world. It offers an almost infinite variety of possibilities and combinations. It’s incredibly rich in terms of textures, compositions, shapes, colors, etc.
I also have a lot of plants at home, so I have these little plant characters that have become recurring elements in my work. I like being able to give them a visual expression. In general, I like the idea that everything can become alive in my paintings. Even objects can become living and expressive, and can help complete the narrative.
‘Baby Plant – Begonia Maculata’
• Can you share a particularly memorable moment or experience that influenced your artistic journey?
I’ve always drawn. My father passed that on to me from a very young age. It’s silly, but at school, it didn’t really seem like being good at drawing was much of an asset for succeeding.
As a child, I was always a little ashamed of being good at nothing but drawing. And then I remember that when I was 10, I won a drawing competition that gave my whole family the opportunity to go on a trip. I wouldn’t say that it directly influenced my path, but I think the pride my family felt at that moment encouraged me to invest myself 100% in this direction, even if it meant not following the typical academic path.
• Are there any specific artists, movements, or periods in art history that have significantly influenced your work?
I’ve always admired the work of Mucha, Schiele, Émile Friant — who is more local to me — and many others, but they aren’t necessarily direct influences on my work. I’ve always been more inspired by illustrators, animators, character designers and other creators from that world. To be honest, I still have a hard time considering myself an artist.
When I was younger, I used to skateboard in a place where there was a lot of graffiti. Over time, I realized that I wasn’t very good at skateboarding, but that I could draw. Naturally, I became interested in mural painting. At the time, I was heavily influenced by Nychos, the drawings of Darkelixir, Skio, Dulk, Etam Cru, Arsek & Erase, and many others.
• In what ways does your cultural background or personal identity inform your artistic perspective?
When I was a child, I dreamed of becoming a character designer for video games or animated films. I wanted to be able to bring my characters to life, imagine worlds, etc. I started studying with that idea in mind, but nowadays, the work is mostly done on computers, and sitting behind a screen all day wasn’t making me happy.
At the same time, I met some graffiti artists and started spending my days outside, painting. I had never imagined that it could become a job, but things became more serious and I eventually started making a living from it.
So obviously, you can still find my first loves, animation and illustration, in my work. Since I can’t actually animate them, I try to make them as lively and dynamic as possible, and I incorporate as many elements as I can to create a narrative.
• If you could collaborate with any artists in any sort of medium (i.e. movies, music, painting) who would you collaborate with, and what would you be making?
Musically, I don’t have any particular artist in mind, but I would have loved to develop a visual universe and create characters for a musician, like Jamie Hewlett did with Gorillaz.
I have the 20th anniversary Art Book, and I would also have loved to simply have the opportunity to create a cover in my own universe.
I also particularly like everything that Label 619 does, an independent French label for artists. I’m not a writer or a storyteller, but if I found the right person to collaborate with, making comics is something I would love to do one day.
• How do you approach the naming of your pieces, and what significance do titles hold for you?
It’s always a difficult choice for me. I try to paint scenes that are evocative while also leaving room for interpretation. Giving a painting a title that is too explicit can limit that freedom of interpretation. So I try to choose a title that evokes an idea or a feeling, without restricting everyone’s imagination.
• Do you find yourself drawn to certain subjects or scenes repeatedly? If so, why?
As I mentioned earlier, and for many reasons, I’ve always been drawn to the living world, animal and botanical subjects, etc.
But more than the subjects themselves, what matters to me is sharing joyful and lively scenes. I think we live in a very complex world and, on my own small scale, bringing a little bit of joy into it is an act of resistance, in opposition to what is imposed on us every day.
’25th Hour’
• If your paintings had a soundtrack, what kind of music would we hear while viewing them?
I listen to music every day, from morning to night. I have very eclectic tastes, and it has a huge influence on what I draw. I grew up with metal and classical music. When I discovered graffiti, I became interested in hip-hop, which then led me to jazz, and so on. So the soundtrack would change from one scene to another.
I remember that when I was a child, I also spent entire days redrawing Iron Maiden album covers. I think that’s what gave me a taste for the art of detail.
Basically, I need a variety of musical environments in order to create diverse work myself.
• What’s the weirdest or most unexpected inspiration you’ve ever drawn from for a painting?
I have a six-year-old daughter. I’ve never encouraged her to draw, because I already spend my life drawing. When I have time to spend with her, I simply want to enjoy doing something else together.
But she grew up watching me draw and, without me ever teaching her anything, she became passionate about drawing. Right now, she makes the best drawings in the world, at least for me.
There is a sincerity, naivety and authenticity that only a child can have. I would like to make a series of drawings with her, just for myself, as a memory for later, before that disappears. Because right now, she is the one who has the best inspiration.
Opening TONIGHT Saturday, October 3rd, 2026, Next Gen brings together a new wave of emerging artists from both the East and West Coasts. This exhibition celebrates artistic freedom, individual expression, and the unique perspectives shaping the next generation of contemporary artists.
At its core, Next Gen is about authenticity and potential – highlighting what makes each artist distinct while collectively showcasing the energy and diversity of today’s emerging contemporary art scene. Together with All Star Press, we’re excited to introduce a dynamic group of artists whose work represents where the scene is headed next.
Opening Reception: Saturday, October 3rd, from 6–10 PM
On view through November 3
All Star Press | @allstarpresschicago 2775 N. Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60647
Thinkspace Projects is pleased to present the collector preview for Rupy Kaloti’s upcoming debut solo museum exhibition set to open this Saturday at the Oceanside Museum of Art in Oceanside, California. We are honored to be helping place the works from this special exhibition with collectors and are excited for you all to have a look.
All works are now available via our secure web shop.
Taking place at: Oceanside Museum of Art | @oceansidemuseum 704 Pier View Way Oceanside, California 92054
The exhibition soft opens this weekend. Details on programming and special events to be shared, soon.
In her museum debut, Rupinder (Rupy) Kaloti presents ‘The Gathering,’ a vibrant, large-scale exploration of the Punjabi-American immigrant experience. Moving beyond familiar narratives of immigrant struggle, the work imagines a vivid world that appears after hardship has passed.
This work explores the esoteric belief that a soul deliberately chooses its family. The artist depicts this choice as an act of cosmic intention. In this framing, the immigrant family is not defined by struggle alone but understood as a sacred destination chosen for its strength, traditions, and rituals. Motifs of a rainbow and a guiding star serve as visual metaphors for the soul’s journey toward its chosen home.
Central to this new series is a personal mythology. The figure of a tiger is a direct homage to the artist’s grandmother named after the goddess Durga and serves as a sentinel within the work. The tiger represents the fierce and protective energy required to build a home in a new land, transforming a domestic space into a site of spiritual power.
This personal mythology emerges from the geography of the artist’s life, spanning East Side San José, California, and Punjab, India. Often described as the city’s grittier margins, East San José forms a striking counterpoint to the landscapes of Punjab. Interlocking panels within the paintings depict scenes from both landscapes, layering memory and place. By painting her subjects inthese two distinct environments, Kaloti reflects the dual realities of the immigrant experience.
Throughout the exhibition, imagery of fire appears within otherwise joyful landscapes. Rather than signaling destruction, the flames suggest transformation. The house endures the blaze and emerges illuminated, a testament to resilience and survival.
Rupy Kaloti’s practice is rooted in a meticulous, physical process. Painting on custom, hand-made wood panel cut-outs, she breaks the traditional rectangular window of Western art to create objects that feel like architectural fragments or altars.
The colors of the paintings are highly saturated hues drawn from the memory of Indian textiles such as saris, phulkari, and the festive brilliance of Punjabi celebrations. These colors are not merely decorative but instead bring visibility to a history often overlooked.
‘The Gathering‘ is an exhibition that honors Rupy’s ancestors by refusing to leave them in the dark, choosing instead to bathe their legacy in the light of joyous ritual.
Artist Bio: Rupy Kaloti is a Punjabi-American visual artist whose work reimagines the immigrant experience through the lens of joy as a spiritual ritual. Kaloti paints on handmade, custom-cut wood panels that function as architectural fragments and modern altars. Her practice utilizes a high-saturation palette, informed by the vivid textiles of her Punjabi heritage. She holds an MFA from the Laguna College of Art and Design and continues to explore the intersections of ancestry, survival, and the sacred within her studio practice.
Thinkspace Projects will be helping Rupy handle the backend of this exhibition and place works with collectors. Please shoot us an email to contact@thinkspaceprojects.com if you’d like to see the catalog of available works from this special museum exhibition.
Thinkspace is pleased to present his debut solo exhibition with us by Taiwanese artist KCN‘Dark Energy’ and includes a collection of eight detailed graphite new works on canvas that examine the emotional relationships between humans through various aspects of art, technology, culture, war, and science. The boundaries of time and individuality become indistinct as themes of alienation and “the other” emerge, with KCN’s exploration of the historical occupation of Taiwan by Japan serving as a recurring theme in his narrative portraiture.
Our interview with KCN shares his upbringing in Taiwan, explores his artistic journey, and reveals the meaning behind his alias.
• What motivated or inspired the collection you’re presenting in this exhibition?
The theme and inspiration for this exhibition are drawn from my interpretation of the universe’s “dark energy.” Like antigravity, it pushes apart all forms and structures, ultimately shaping the evolution of the large-scale structure of the universe.
• Are there any recurring themes or symbols in your paintings? If so, what do they represent to you?
In this body of work, I did not incorporate any recurring symbols. However, in many of my previous works, I often included elements and symbols associated with pre-war Taiwan. These symbols also represent my background and my sense of identity.
‘Quantum Vacuum’
• Can you share a particularly memorable moment or experience that influenced your artistic journey?
What has shaped my artistic journey the most is the era in which I was born. I grew up during a contradictory period—a time that transitioned from scarcity to abundance. When I was young, pursuing a career as an artist was extremely difficult. Later, as the manga industry began to flourish in Taiwan, I entered the field as a traditional hand-drawn manga artist. However, within just a few years, the industry quickly collapsed.
At the same time, the digital era arrived. To make a living, I had no choice but to set aside traditional drawing and transition to digital art. I worked as an illustrator before eventually entering the video game industry.
Then, in recent years, the rise of AI brought yet another major disruption to digital art. Fortunately, seven years ago, I made the decision to leave the game industry, abandon digital painting, and return to traditional hand-drawing, because hand-drawn art has always been where my heart truly belongs.
I no longer wanted to compromise my artistic ideals simply to make a living. If I could start over again, I would choose to remain committed to traditional drawing from the very beginning.
Having lived through the transition from traditional art to the digital era, and now witnessing the impact of AI, I feel that my generation has constantly struggled to keep up with the speed of change. Yet despite everything, I have finally returned to where my passion for art first began.
‘Dark Flow‘
• Are there any specific artists, movements, or periods in art history that have significantly influenced your work?
In truth, I have been influenced more by the spirit of different eras than by any individual artist.
Everything that emerged after the Industrial Revolution, as well as the rich vintage culture that existed up until the pre-war period, has always fascinated me. At the same time, I was deeply influenced by the popular culture of the 1970s through the 1990s.
I wouldn’t say that any single artist has had a defining influence on my work. However, if I had to name two artists whom I truly admire, they would be H. R. Giger and the Norwegian painter Odd Nerdrum.
• What’s on your art career bucket list?
From the circumstances of my birth to the environment in which I grew up, I have never had many choices in life.
Now, with the support of your gallery and the appreciation of collectors who enjoy my work, I already feel deeply grateful and fulfilled. My only wish is to continue creating—to devote myself to painting for the rest of my life, and to keep making art until the very end of my journey.
• If you could collaborate with any artists in any sort of medium (i.e. movies, music, painting) who would you collaborate with, and what would you be making?
Haha, I actually don’t often think about this kind of possibility. However, if I ever have the opportunity, I would not be opposed to collaborating with creators from any field—especially in film and music, because these are two areas that I personally love very much.
As for what kind of work I could create together with filmmakers or musicians, I believe my contribution would mainly be through visual expression. At most, I would hope to help create a unique world and its atmosphere.
• Who would be on the guest list if you could throw a dinner party for five people, dead or alive? What would be on the menu? What would be the icebreaker question?Haha, that’s a difficult question.
If I could host a dinner for five guests, I think I would invite President Abraham Lincoln, Vincent van Gogh, Franz Kafka, the members of The Beatles, and Keanu Reeves.
The menu would probably be the traditional home-cooked dishes prepared by my grandmother.
For my opening words, I would say, “Thank you all for accompanying me throughout my growth, and for giving me the courage to keep moving forward along my journey.”
• How do you approach the naming of your pieces, and what significance do titles hold for you?
I usually name my works by drawing comparisons between the things I love, my own reflections on the philosophy of life, and existing scientific terminology.
• Can you tell us a bit more about your artist alias/nickname?
My artist name, “KCN,” is the chemical formula for potassium cyanide. Potassium cyanide itself is an extremely toxic substance, and this name is closely connected to my personal journey. Since I was young, my way of thinking has often been very different from those around me. Living in such circumstances for a long time made me feel as though my very existence was, to others, a kind of poison.
• How has your cultural background influenced your artistic style? I know this is somewhat tied into the question above…
I was born in Taiwan during a time when the country was still under an authoritarian regime. It was not until my teenage years that Taiwan began its transition toward freedom and democracy.
Because of this historical background, Taiwan’s cultural environment was relatively limited during my early years. However, I was raised by my grandparents, who belonged to the pre-war generation, and I also grew up near areas filled with heavy industry—shipyards, shipbreaking yards, and steel factories.
Because of these experiences, I developed a deep emotional connection and passion for pre-war vintage culture, as well as industrial machinery and mechanical structures.
‘Arrow Of Time’
• If your paintings had a soundtrack, what kind of music would we hear while viewing them?
I love Western popular music from the 1970s through the 1990s. Even today, I still mainly listen to music from that era.
So when people view my artworks, I hope they can imagine that the soundtrack surrounding them is music from the 1970s to the 1990s.
• What’s the weirdest or most unexpected inspiration you’ve ever drawn from for a painting?
I’m not sure whether there has been a single strangest or most unexpected source of inspiration throughout my artistic journey.
However, some of the imagery in my works comes from dreams I had during my very early childhood, before the age of six. I seem to have dreamed of scenes from a post-apocalyptic world, and those images have remained deeply imprinted in my memory.
I believe these visions may be one of the origins behind the decaying mechanical atmosphere that appears throughout many of my works.
