
The gallery’s first solo show by American artist David Salle (b. Oklahoma, 1952) presents a selection of works primarily focused on the genre of the portrait. In oil paintings, monoprints, and lithographs, his representation of people as keenly observed individuals lies at the core of these compositions created over the last years.
These recent works show Salle's mastery of figurative language, here offered with an element of refinement, such that we could say that they are simplified in comparison with the images associated with the artist up until now. His concern for the basic formal values of painting can be seen in his way of foregrounding the way that light and shadow fall on skin, and on the specificity of gesture.
Salle strives for, and achieves in these works, a sense of immediacy and directness. These portraits - primarily of friends, neighbors, and fellow artists, have a freshness and apparent ease of execution that speaks to our time. The expressive capability of value pattern (light and shadow) is especially crucial to this recent series of portraits, in which male as well as female subjects are represented.
David Salle’s style is characterized by the richness of its pictorial vocabulary, with elements that are both abstract and figurative, a language made up of many layers and visual references drawing on, among other things, popular culture and art history by way of design and advertising.
Salle reflects on the artistic medium itself as well as the artist’s identity through his combination and juxtaposition of visual elements, manipulating the painting’s surface to maximize pictorial expression, and to accentuate visual rhythms. The artist refers to this type of large - scale composition as “visual musicality”.
Untitled (portrait 05), 2019
Oil on canvas
76 x 56 cm / 30 x 22 in
Syrie (Pink), 2013
Oil on canvas
127 x 104 cm / 50 x 41 in
Untitled (portrait 13), 2019
Oil on canvas
76 x 51 cm / 30 x 20 in
Untitled (portrait 14), 2019
Oil on canvas
51 x 38 cm / 20 x 15 in
Untitled (portrait 06), 2019
Oil on canvas
68 x 50 cm / 27 x 20 in
Untitled (portrait 22), 2019
Oil on canvas
35,5 x 28 cm / 14 x 11 in
Untitled (portrait 30), 2019
Oil on canvas
65 x 51 cm / 26 x 20 in
Untitled (portrait 27), 2019
Oil on canvas
25,5 x 20,5 cm / 10 x 8 in
Untitled (portrait 04), 2019
Oil on canvas
80 x 58,5 cm / 31.5 x 23 in
Untitled (portrait 02), 2019
Oil on canvas
35,5 x 28 cm / 14 x 11 in
Untitled (portrait 09), 2019
Oil on canvas
65 x 51 cm / 26 x 20 in
Untitled (portrait 08), 2019
Oil on canvas
67,5 x 50 cm / 27 x 20 in
Thursday, 2013
Oil on canvas
84 x 112 cm / 33 x 44 in
Untitled (portrait 19), 2019
Oil on canvas
35,5 x 28 cm / 14 x 11 in
Untitled (portrait 24), 2019
Oil on canvas
30,5 x 23 cm / 12 x 9 in
Untitled (portrait 16), 2019
Oil on canvas
35,5 x 28 cm / 14 x 11 in
Untitled (portrait 07), 2019
Oil on canvas
76 x 56 cm / 30 x 22 in
Untitled (portrait 15), 2019
Oil on canvas
35,5 x 28 cm / 14 x 11 in
Untitled (portrait 20), 2019
Oil on canvas
35,5 x 28 cm / 14 x 11 in
Untitled (portrait 31), 2019
Oil on canvas
100 x 72,5 cm / 40 x 29 in
Untitled (portrait 01), 2019
Oil on canvas
76,5 x 55,5 cm / 30 x 22 in
Repose, 2019
Oil on canvas, acrylic and silkscreen on metal
185,5 x 173 cm / 73 x 68 in
Tangled Up, 2013
Oil on canvas, acrylic and silkscreen ink on board with hand thrown ceramic object
112 x 150 x 12 cm / 44 x 59 x 4.72 in
Untitled (portrait 32), 2019
Oil on canvas
101,5 x 76 cm / 40 x 30 in
Untitled (portrait 12), 2019
Oil on canvas
114 x 81 cm / 45 x 32 in
Untitled (portrait 33), 2019
Oil on canvas
101,5 x 76 cm / 40 x 30 in
Untitled (portrait 34), 2019
Oil on canvas
114,5 x 81,5 cm / 45 x 32 in
Untitled (portrait 10), 2019
Oil on canvas
101,5 x 71 cm / 40 x 28 in
Untitled WOP #29, 2013
Oil on paper
58 x 76 cm / 23 x 30 in
Syrie, Yellow, 2018
Lithograph
139 x 107 cm / 54.72 x 42.13 in
150,5 x 118,5 x 5,5 cm / 59.25 x 46.65 x 2.17 in (framed)
Ed. 20 of 35
Untitled, 2019
Monoprint
79 x 57 cm / 31.1 x 22.44 in
83,5 x 61 x 4,5 cm / 32.87 x 24 x 1.77 in (framed)
Syrie, Turquoise, 2014
Lithograph
139 x 107 cm / 54.72 x 42.13 in
150,5 x 118,5 x 5,5 cm / 59.25 x 46.65 x 2.17 in (framed)
Ed. 20 of 35
Untitled, 2019
Monoprint
79 x 57 cm / 31.1 x 22.44 in
83,5 x 61 x 4,5 cm / 32.87 x 24 x 1.77 in (framed)
Untitled, 2019
Monoprint
79 x 57 cm / 31.1 x 22.44 in
83,5 x 61 x 4,5 cm / 32.87 x 24 x 1.77 in (framed)
Untitled, 2019
Monoprint
79 x 57 cm / 31.1 x 22.44 in
83,5 x 61 x 4,5 cm / 32.87 x 24 x 1.77 in (framed)
Untitled, 2019
Monoprint
79 x 57 cm / 31.1 x 22.44 in
83,5 x 61 x 4,5 cm / 32.87 x 24 x 1.77 in (framed)
Hannah, Violet, 2015
Lithograph
139 x 107 cm / 54.72 x 42.13 in
150,5 x 118,5 x 5,5 cm / 59.25 x 46.65 x 2.17 in (framed)
Untitled, 2019
Monoprint
79 x 57 cm / 31.1 x 22.44 in
83,5 x 61 x 4,5 cm / 32.87 x 24 x 1.77 in (framed)
Claudia, Teal, 2018
Lithograph
139 x 107 cm / 54.72 x 42.13 in
150,5 x 118,5 x 5,5 cm / 59.25 x 46.65 x 2.17 in (framed)
Untitled (portrait 05), 2019
Oil on canvas
76 x 56 cm / 30 x 22 in
Syrie (Pink), 2013
Oil on canvas
127 x 104 cm / 50 x 41 in
Untitled (portrait 13), 2019
Oil on canvas
76 x 51 cm / 30 x 20 in
Untitled (portrait 14), 2019
Oil on canvas
51 x 38 cm / 20 x 15 in
Untitled (portrait 06), 2019
Oil on canvas
68 x 50 cm / 27 x 20 in
Untitled (portrait 22), 2019
Oil on canvas
35,5 x 28 cm / 14 x 11 in
Untitled (portrait 30), 2019
Oil on canvas
65 x 51 cm / 26 x 20 in
Untitled (portrait 27), 2019
Oil on canvas
25,5 x 20,5 cm / 10 x 8 in
Untitled (portrait 04), 2019
Oil on canvas
80 x 58,5 cm / 31.5 x 23 in
Untitled (portrait 02), 2019
Oil on canvas
35,5 x 28 cm / 14 x 11 in
Untitled (portrait 09), 2019
Oil on canvas
65 x 51 cm / 26 x 20 in
Untitled (portrait 08), 2019
Oil on canvas
67,5 x 50 cm / 27 x 20 in
Thursday, 2013
Oil on canvas
84 x 112 cm / 33 x 44 in
Untitled (portrait 19), 2019
Oil on canvas
35,5 x 28 cm / 14 x 11 in
Untitled (portrait 24), 2019
Oil on canvas
30,5 x 23 cm / 12 x 9 in
Untitled (portrait 16), 2019
Oil on canvas
35,5 x 28 cm / 14 x 11 in
Untitled (portrait 07), 2019
Oil on canvas
76 x 56 cm / 30 x 22 in
Untitled (portrait 15), 2019
Oil on canvas
35,5 x 28 cm / 14 x 11 in
Untitled (portrait 20), 2019
Oil on canvas
35,5 x 28 cm / 14 x 11 in
Untitled (portrait 31), 2019
Oil on canvas
100 x 72,5 cm / 40 x 29 in
Untitled (portrait 01), 2019
Oil on canvas
76,5 x 55,5 cm / 30 x 22 in
Repose, 2019
Oil on canvas, acrylic and silkscreen on metal
185,5 x 173 cm / 73 x 68 in
Tangled Up, 2013
Oil on canvas, acrylic and silkscreen ink on board with hand thrown ceramic object
112 x 150 x 12 cm / 44 x 59 x 4.72 in
Untitled (portrait 32), 2019
Oil on canvas
101,5 x 76 cm / 40 x 30 in
Untitled (portrait 12), 2019
Oil on canvas
114 x 81 cm / 45 x 32 in
Untitled (portrait 33), 2019
Oil on canvas
101,5 x 76 cm / 40 x 30 in
Untitled (portrait 34), 2019
Oil on canvas
114,5 x 81,5 cm / 45 x 32 in
Untitled (portrait 10), 2019
Oil on canvas
101,5 x 71 cm / 40 x 28 in
Untitled WOP #29, 2013
Oil on paper
58 x 76 cm / 23 x 30 in
Syrie, Yellow, 2018
Lithograph
139 x 107 cm / 54.72 x 42.13 in
150,5 x 118,5 x 5,5 cm / 59.25 x 46.65 x 2.17 in (framed)
Ed. 20 of 35
Untitled, 2019
Monoprint
79 x 57 cm / 31.1 x 22.44 in
83,5 x 61 x 4,5 cm / 32.87 x 24 x 1.77 in (framed)
Syrie, Turquoise, 2014
Lithograph
139 x 107 cm / 54.72 x 42.13 in
150,5 x 118,5 x 5,5 cm / 59.25 x 46.65 x 2.17 in (framed)
Ed. 20 of 35
Untitled, 2019
Monoprint
79 x 57 cm / 31.1 x 22.44 in
83,5 x 61 x 4,5 cm / 32.87 x 24 x 1.77 in (framed)
Untitled, 2019
Monoprint
79 x 57 cm / 31.1 x 22.44 in
83,5 x 61 x 4,5 cm / 32.87 x 24 x 1.77 in (framed)
Untitled, 2019
Monoprint
79 x 57 cm / 31.1 x 22.44 in
83,5 x 61 x 4,5 cm / 32.87 x 24 x 1.77 in (framed)
Untitled, 2019
Monoprint
79 x 57 cm / 31.1 x 22.44 in
83,5 x 61 x 4,5 cm / 32.87 x 24 x 1.77 in (framed)
Hannah, Violet, 2015
Lithograph
139 x 107 cm / 54.72 x 42.13 in
150,5 x 118,5 x 5,5 cm / 59.25 x 46.65 x 2.17 in (framed)
Untitled, 2019
Monoprint
79 x 57 cm / 31.1 x 22.44 in
83,5 x 61 x 4,5 cm / 32.87 x 24 x 1.77 in (framed)
Claudia, Teal, 2018
Lithograph
139 x 107 cm / 54.72 x 42.13 in
150,5 x 118,5 x 5,5 cm / 59.25 x 46.65 x 2.17 in (framed)