Wed 2/3 @ 6-8PM
Regular visitors to 78th Street Studios’ Third Fridays may know the work of painter Justin Brennan, whose studio is in the far back corner of the building’s top floor. But currently his work is a little easier to locate. It’s hanging in the spacious HEDGE Gallery in the front of the second floor.
His new show, General Maintenance, which opened in mid-January, features a new group of mixed-media paintings, using oil stick, oil paint, latex, enamel, spray paint and collage. He’s known for his figurative style that incorporates elements of abstraction. These, he says, were based on his own face and those of people close to him, some of them reflecting personal issues such as mental health and addiction struggles.
The gallery’s statement says, “Themes of Pop Art-inspired portraits were evolving in 2019, but as COVID-19 became a reality in March of 2020, Brennan’s work became influenced by in-depth self-reflection. Feelings of unrest inspired his painting styles to bounce from frantic mark-making to controlled strokes; and as the pandemic worsened, the work only got more personal.
If you want to see his work and learn more, the gallery is hosting at “meet the artist” night Wednesday February 3 @ 6pm. It’s a chance to ask him questions about his work one-on-one rather than a traditional artist talk so they can keep a handle on the crowd size. Go here to sign up so they know how many people will be there at a given time.
The show will be on view through March 5.