De Buck Gallery is pleased to present an online exclusive exhibition of new works by Gommaar Gilliams.
In this new selection of work, several of which will be on view at EXPO CHICAGO, Gommaar Gilliams continues his practice of weaving colors and textures with both allegorical symbols and natural elements. These are compositions marked by celestial bodies and floral motifs that beckon the viewer into lush spaces filled with dreamlike elements such as fairytale-like castles and animals in joyful motion. While some canvases use his signature vibrant colors, some of his latest works move towards cleaner, cooler, more subdued canvases.
In Oriana, we see his favored image of boats against a blue watery background, and framed by motifs that evoke leaves, hearts, swans, and a castle in the distance, the castle being replete with the idea of home for Gilliams. There is also a gestural and vibrant red mark in the foreground that feels both ominous yet full of life, speaking to a potential jarring rift while also serving to connect what appears to be a heart with a leaf, in a life-producing move.
At the center of Mika, we see the familiar image of a cat curled up in repose evoking the feeling of home against a cool, sparse backdrop. The image is reproduced across the canvas, accentuating its message of tranquility. This canvas is bereft of color, allowing the motifs—such as a single flower in the lower right corner—to sing.
In Stay in the Park, we see a group of swans set against dark blue, framed by a proscenium-like arch of color and crowned by shooting stars.
Some canvases, such as Nor’Wester and Calitea, feature the bright saturated hues that Gilliams is known for. Coupled with the textured surface that is the result of Gilliams’s process of dying and staining strips of fabric before assembling them right onto the canvas, these surfaces fuse into lush, rich narratives both in subject-matter and materiality.
This presentation is timed with the exhibition “The Cabin LA: A Curated Flashback!”, which is currently on view at the Green Family Art Foundation in Dallas, Texas. The exhibition, which runs through May 21, 2023, presents 42 works made during the last seven years by artists who took part in The Cabin LA, a residency program run by Danny First, including the work of Gommaar Gilliams.
