Kent O'Connor: Close the Door Behind You
633 N. La Brea Los Angeles CA 90036
Saturday, June 12 at 6:00 PM 8:00 PM
Ends Jul 10, 2021
There's friction between the joke (the punchline) and the sincerity (the laborious, beautiful rendering) of Kent O’Connor’s paintings. It’s as though there are two people at work: the capricious, droll, and very cool stage manager, and then the fevered, desperately earnest, eager-to-please laborer. The paintings might risk coming off as sullen or aloof, except for that O’Connor’s obsessive observation constantly undercuts any attempt to play it cool. Even still, the paintings sometimes imply an off-stage foil: the viewer feels conscripted to play the part of a “Disappointed Daddy” or “Scoffing Critic,” and the painting is here to shut those voices up once and for all (which would be an easy project to support if one didn’t have to play the villain). Although it’s antagonistic, there’s something so sympathetic and recognizable about this defensive attitude—the little heartbreak of at once bristling and also nuzzling up for attention, like a teenager. More often, Kent’s paintings simply delight. The joke of it all, whatever it is, balloons outwards, becoming more wordless and mysterious, giving viewers permission to enjoy themselves and have a laugh. One feels taken-care-of because he’s already done so much looking, and brought out so much lovely light. All the edges of all the shapes have something special going on, and an inner glow seems to be barely contained by the people’s thin skin. Nothing is perfectly resolved, no matter how finely rendered the image may be. The paintings still have something sketchy and evident about them, which is generous, like leaving the door ajar. Text by Harper Keehn Kent O'Connor lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. The artist earned his BFA from Maryland Institute of College of Art, Baltimore, MD and MFA from Yale University School of Art, New Haven, CT. Recent solo and two-person exhibitions include New Paintings, Diane Rosenstein, Los Angeles, CA (2018); Flower Paintings, The Study, New Haven, CT (2017). Selected group exhibitions include Open Air, Tong Art Advisory, The Hamptons, NY (2020); It Seems So Long Ago, Matthew Brown Los Angeles, CA (2020); Seven Year Itch, Diane Rosenstein, Los Angeles, CA (2019); Way Out Now, Diane Rosenstein, Los Angeles, CA (2018); Oily Doily, BBQ LA, Los Angeles, CA (2016). The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11am to 6pm. No appointment is necessary.