Sins of the Fathers

In the exhibition “Sins of the Fathers,” artist and curator Nat Meade brings together a group of eleven talented artists who fearlessly confront the challenges of representational drawing and painting. Embracing a diverse array of styles and genres from art history, each artist has crafted a distinctive visual language that allows them to speak about contemporary experiences in deeply personal and often thought-provoking ways. Instead of rejecting the past, these artists reimagine it, bravely acknowledging their artistic heritage while critiquing traditional ideas that perpetuated sexism, racism, classism, and cultural appropriation.

In contrast to the formalist approach of the past, today’s representational artists in “Sins of the Fathers” refuse to turn a blind eye to the sins of traditional painting. They redirect the gaze of Western art towards overlooked experiences, marginalized communities, and forgotten places. Meade’s artists also delve into the complexities of their own personal lives, examining intimate spaces and familial bonds with a critical eye. They courageously address the dysfunction within families, seeking to distance themselves from harmful patterns while still honoring the power of love that binds them together.

The exhibition showcases a wide range of subjects, themes, and styles, from the real to the imaginary, and even to the edges of abstraction. Barskaya and Williamson explore the journey of parenthood, with Barskaya capturing mundane yet tender moments of family life, while Williamson focuses on the interwoven lives of children and adults from diverse backgrounds. Palocci and Grimes delve into the darker aspects of childhood, unearthing traumatic memories from their pasts. Gac Levin adopts a playful approach to parenting and childhood through still life compositions that represent familial relationships and conflicts.

The artists Barrett, Gagner, and Carmi challenge traditional portraiture by subverting its familiar tropes. Barrett presents an eclectic gallery of grotesque figures, questioning the conventional definition of personhood. Gagner and Carmi utilize satire to critically examine masculinity and their own family dynamics, respectively. On the other hand, Giordanne Salley, Langdon Graves, and Clintel Steed take a broader perspective, focusing on the cycle of life and generational connections. Salley’s lyrical images depict the immersion of one self into another, while Graves employs traditional vanitas objects to remind viewers of life’s brevity. Steed links past, present, and future generations through his vibrant and thought-provoking yellow 5G spaces.

Through their unique and powerful imagery, the artists in “Sins of the Fathers” confront painful aspects of our shared past and present. They create new archetypes and offer possibilities for self-reflection and empathy, urging viewers to see themselves and others from fresh perspectives. This exhibition becomes a transformative experience, encouraging us to examine our own relationships, memories, and societal narratives, ultimately fostering a deeper understanding of ourselves and our interconnectedness.