Online Exhibition: Ian Hughes
June 8, 2020 - July 27, 2020
"Hughes’ central images are like disembodied viscera which seem to continue living apart from the entire bodily system. It’s as if they have, like separatist protesters, decided that they are the core or essential aspect of the body and that other systems are just not worth supporting. These viscera must have their independence. [Hughes’ paintings] are desire embodied as biological conduits, showing that bodily desire is never consummated fully, which is in contrast to our belief that spiritual desire can be consummated fully and finally, leading to eternal bliss." -- Daniel Gauss, Arte Fuse
Scrum
2019
Acrylic on Canvas
42 x 36 inches
Loose Thread
2019
Acrylic on Canvas
72 x 60 inches
Constructivist Contortionist
2019
Acrylic on Canvas
72 x 60 inches
Saturn
2019
Acrylic on Canvas
78 x 64 inches
Tangled
2017
Acrylic on Canvas
72 x 60 inches
Through Line
2019
Acrylic on Canvas
72 x 60 inches
Whiplash
2017
Acrylic on Canvas
72 x 60 inches
Under Over
2017
Acrylic on Canvas
72 x 60 inches
"My paintings represent a longstanding belief in the possibility of translating human experience and feeling through the raw materials of painting. For quite some time I have been probing an artistic vein in which naturalistic forms shape-shift on top of an abstract color space. Regardless of what form they take, the images are rooted in the human body and more specifically, the psychological and emotional link between brain and viscera. I think this also explains my preference early on for working large scale, usually on the floor. The physicality of working large allows the body to override the brain. Only then does the door open to serendipity. Ultimately, what matters most is that, when successful, the imagery and the materials are psychologically charged and form a kind of connective tissue with the viewer." -- Ian Hughes