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Recent Work by

James Rieck

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January  6 - 29, 2024

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from James Rieck:

In "Dressed to Kill," I take you on a soulful journey through the intricate ties between clothing and the essence of who we are, man. This groove draws inspiration from the old masters who used fabrics to strut their stuff, telling stories about identity, status, and the textile scene that was going on. Back in the day, clothing was the real deal, and they knew it.

 

My pieces, man, they come at you like a funky film, filling the scene with vibes. I use cropping, a technique that's like cutting a record just right. You see it in 'The Lawyers' and 'The Agreement' where faces play peekaboo. They're laying down subtle moves, showing off, just like people when they're dressing up, fronting like they got something to say. 'Western Style' and 'On Duty,' -- they give you half the story, and you dig deep, man, exploring the vibes that ain't so obvious.

 

Now, the smaller paintings, they're all about the hands, tenderly holding those glasses. You know it's all about "class." Ice in the glasses, that's like life's sweetness melting away. It's like the old masters using decay in their paintings to say, "Man, life is all too brief." It's the same message, just a different groove.

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