A Minor Constellation at Chris Sharp Gallery

Artists: Tom Allen, Sophie Barber, Michael Berryhill, Dike Blair, Varda Caivano, Luz Carabaño, Lois Dodd, Fergus Feehily, Anna Glantz, Federico Herrero, Ulala Imai, Lauren Spencer King, Jennifer J. Lee, Daniel Graham Loxton, Paulo Monteiro, Alexandra Noel, Daniel Rios Rodriguez, Paul P., Santiago de Paoli, Dana Powell, Kristopher Raos, Eleanor Ray, Louise Sartor, Anna Schachinger, Shana Sharp, Hiroshi Sugito, Sean Sullivan, Altoon Sultan, Hayley Tompkins, Tinus Vermeersch, Tyler Vlahovich, Owen Westberg, Yui Yaegeshi, Zhiliang Zhao

Exhibition title: A Minor Constellation

Venue: Chris Sharp Gallery, Los Angeles, US

Date: July 30 – September 3, 2022

Photography: all images copyright and courtesy of the artist and Chris Sharp Gallery, Los Angeles

Chris Sharp Gallery is pleased to present a survey of small painting entitled A Minor Constellation.

Featuring the work of over 30 local, national and international contemporary painters, the exhibition focuses on economy of scale as an artistic conceit. It goes virtually without saying that just because a painting is small does not necessarily mean it was easier to make or is any less significant than a large painting. Like the format of the short poem or haiku, it can be incredibly challenging to create with such limited means. The artists in the exhibition are driven to work with small formats for a variety of reasons. In some cases, they have been laboring for decades, trimming away the inessential in order to get to what is absolutely necessary. In others, size is a practical or ethical issue. And in still others, a personal or even spiritual challenge which has less to do with self expression than self abnegation. Some see the domestic as a more compelling space of formal experimentation. Finally, there are those who believe that they can achieve a greater effect, whether it be in terms of humor, affect, or criticality, quite simply, with less. Whatever the case may be, if subject matter and modes of painting in this exhibition vary (and they do, greatly), one thing all of these artists have in common is a tendency toward reduction of format, but most definitely not impact. And although modesty of size is the filament that binds these painters together, they otherwise remain wholly themselves, radiating outward like so many irreducible parts of a provisional constellation of contemporary painting.

A Minor Constellation, 2022, exhibition view, Chris Sharp Gallery, Los Angeles

Alexandra Noel, Bollard, 2022. Oil and enamel on panel, 4 x 6 x .75 in (10.2 x 15.2 x 1.9 cm)

Alexandra Noel, The Color of Fluid II,2022. Oil and enamel on panel, 4 x 4.5 x .75 in (10.2 x 11.4 x 1.9 cm)

Alexandra Noel, Titanic Cake III, 2022. Oil and enamel on panel, 2.75 x 4.5 x .75 in (7 x 11.4 x 1.9 cm)

Altoon Sultan, Small Red Curve, 2022. Egg tempera on calfskin parchment mounted on wood panel, 9 x 13 in (22.86 x 33.02 cm)

Anna Glantz, Gril’s Milk, 2022. Oil, collage, and pen on dyed canvas over panel, 8 x 10 in (20.32 x 25.4 cm)

Anna Schachinger, Stadtpark Ried im Innkreis, 2021. Oil and acrylic on mixed media 15.74 x 11.81 in (40 x 30 cm)

Daniel Graham Loxton, Salis grano, 2022. Oil, wax, dry pigment, acrylic, and pencil on wood, 8.5 x 13.75 in (21.59 x 34.92 cm)

Dana Powell, Persimmons, 2022. Oil on linen, 6 x 8 in (15.2 x 20.3 cm)

Daniel Rios Rodriguez, Bassa Danza, 2013-22. Oil, mountain laurel bean, shell, wood, nails on wood, 18.75 x 14.25 in (47.62 x 36.19 cm)

Dike Blair, Untitled, 2016. Gouache, pastel, and pencil on paper. 15 x 20 in (38.10 x 50.80 cm)

Eleanor K Ray, Moni island, 2019. Oil on panel 6 x 8 in (15.24 x 20.32 cm)

Federico Herrero, Arlequín, 2020. Oil and acrylic on canvas, 32 x 40 cm (12 5/8 x 15 3/4 in)

Fergus Feehily, Outer Space Butcher Paper, 2022. Oil on cardboard and aluminium foil, wood, 12.9 x 10.6 x 3.2 in (33 x 27 x 8.2 cm)

Haley Tompkins, Digital Light Pool CXXXIII, 2019. Acrylic paint, plastic tray, 12 5/8 x 13 3/8 x 1 in (32 x 34 x 2.5 cm)

Hiroshi Sugito, Untitled, 2022. Oil on wood panel 9.4 x 13.2 in (24 x 33.5 cm)

Jennifer J Lee, Untitled, 2022. Oil on jute, 13 x 8 in (33.02 x 20.32 cm)

Kristopher Raos, Untitled (Cream, Red Rose), 2022. Acrylic gouache, and flashe on canvas, 8 x 10 in (20.32 x 25.4 cm)

Lauren Spencer King, Flower no. 14, 2022. Watercolor on paper on panel, 12 x 9 in (30.48 x 22.86 cm)

Lois Dodd, Sea Holly Blossom, 2015. Oil on aluminum flushing, 5 x 7 in (12.7 x 22.86 cm)

Louise Sartor, Notre Dame de la Paix (1), 2022. Gouache on cardboard, 11.61 x 6.10 in (29.5 x 15.5 cm)

Luz Carabaño, entrega, 2022 Oil on linen on shaped panel 5.75 x 19 in (14.60 x 48.26 cm)

Michael Berryhill, Bask, 2022. Oil on linen, 10 x 8 in (25.4 x 20.32 cm)

Owen Westburg, Late May, 2021. Oil on birch panel, 6 x 12 in (15.24 x 30.48 cm)

Paul P., Untitled, 2022. Oil on linen, 10.62 x 7.48 in (27 x 19 cm)

Paulo Monteiro, Untitled, 2019, Oil on linen, 14.96 x 11.02 in (38 x 28 cm)

Santiago de Paoli, Red Angel, 2022. Oil on copper, 12.99 x 11.41 in (33 x 29 cm)

Sean Sullivan, The Bow- window at La Regina, Nice, 1950 (for Matisse),, 2022. Oil on kitikata paper, 8.25 x 10.5 in (21.5 x 26.6 cm)

Shana Sharp, Untitled, 2022. Oil on canvas, 8 x 8 in (20.3 x 20.3 cm)

Sophie Barber, Niki de Saint Phalle loves sculpture, 2022. Oil on canvas, 5 3/4 x 9 1/8 x 2 1/8 in (14. 5 x 23 x 5.5 cm)

Tinus Vermeersch, Untitled, 2019. Oil on panel, 13.58 x 11.25 (34.5 x 28.6 cm)

Tom Allen, Yellow, Grey, Yellow, Blue, 2022. Oil on canvas, 13 x 11 in (33.02 x 27.94 cm)

Tyler Vlahovich, Untitled, 2020. Oil on wood panel, 6.5 x 5 in (16.51 x 12.7 cm)

Ulala Imai, Melon Salada, 2022. Oil on canvas, 9.5 x 13 in (24.13 x 30.02 cm)

Varda Caivano, Untitled, 2022. Gouache and charcoal on jute, 11.25 x 21.25 in (28.5 x 53.9 cm)

Yui Yaegashi, an lilet, 2019. Oil on canvas, 8.74 x 11.02 in (22.2 28 cm)

Zhao Zhiliang, Untitled (Klay), 2022. Gouache on paper clay. 6 X 5 in (15.24 x 12.7 cm)