Jesse James
Los Angeles-based artist Wes Lang has opened up his latest exhibition. “Pink and Blue” is currently on display at the Almine Rech New York gallery. Inspired by Picasso’s Blue and Rose Period paintings, the artwork explores the artist’s tumultuous year. After a severe bout of COVID, getting married, and relocating to Brooklyn, New York, the artist created ten canvases dedicated to the nature of life and love.
The work features thin brushstrokes applied to a white canvas, which Lang attributes to the anxiety and psychosis guiding his application process. The Native American skull is a prominent figure throughout the work. Lang pays homage to the Native American Reservation he visited in Long Island as a child. The work alludes to maranasati meditation, a practice of “death awareness” that deepens the connection and appreciation of mortality.
Speaking about the inspiration behind his work, Lang stated: “I’m always thinking about death and trying to be accepting of it. I don’t want to paint myself, the skull is a stand-in for that. I’ve got a skull, I just can’t see it…[It’s] a constant reminder to myself and the viewers to stay present and to do everything you possibly can to move your life forward in a positive direction while you’ve got the chance to do it. It’s gone before you know it. It really is.”
Take a look at a few standout pieces from “Pink and Blue” in the images and find out more from the Almine Rech New York gallery. In the meantime, keep it locked with The Culture Curators for more art exhibitions, releases, and more coming soon.
Photos via Wes Lang/Almine Rech New York
