Exhibition
Cleon Peterson: Exiles
August 21 - September 18, 2021
Louis Buhl & Co. is pleased to present Exiles, a solo exhibition of unique works by Cleon Peterson, opening Saturday, August 21st. Peterson is an LA-based artist known for his fearless depictions of human nature.
Peterson explores new material terrain in Exiles, continuing his dive into power and violence, this time through the intimacy of paintings on paper. In Exiles, Peterson examines the symbiotic relationship between aggressor and victim, investigating how both, driven by utopian aspirations and possession by ghosts from the past, exist in a state of alienation from one another. Initially inspired by the propagandistic sentiments in the song "Tomorrow Belongs To Me" from the film Cabaret, Exiles offers no easy answers and no pat solutions, but rather holds a mirror up to contemporary global culture writhing with brutality and struggle.
In tune with the artist's well-established visual language, the hand-painted multiples featured in the exhibition are stylistically minimal, focusing on form, two-dimensionality and a limited color palette of black, white and gold. While the portrayed figures are graphically sharp and uniform by design, unpredictable splatters of paint remind us of the work's hand-produced nature and make each one distinctly unique from the next.
Cleon Peterson: Exiles will be on view from August 21 through September 18, 2021.