Death and the Maiden
Death and the Maiden
Goff+Rosenthal is proud to present Death and the
Maiden, a solo exhibition of new works on paper by
New York- based artist Scott Hunt.
Scott Hunt's
charcoal drawings are exquisitely- rendered
anachronisms, recalling faded snapshots of
seemingly simpler times through the artist's black and
white palette. Darkly comic and meticulously realized,
these works focus on female subjects in ironic or
absurd compositions, reminding the viewer of the
tragedy and conflict that invariably lurk behind even the
most innocent façade.
For this body of work, Hunt drew on influences as
diverse as Edward Hopper, Charles Addams, Gabriel
García Márquez, Andy Warhol, Andrea Mantegna and
Joyce Carol Oates. In Death and the Maiden Hunt
subtly juxtaposes iconic imagery of love and beauty
with fatalist symbols of death and destruction. In
Gilding the Lily, a young woman reminiscent of a
1950's pin-up model hoses down a coffin in her
suburban backyard. Pursuit shows a young, almost
prepubescent bride, posing on the chapel steps.
Shining in her white wedding dress before the
shadows of the church's interior, butterflies surround
her head, inviting the comparison of moths to a light.
In many ways absurdly grotesque, Hunt's imagery is
also hauntingly beautiful and enigmatic. By borrowing
source material from discarded photographs found at
flea markets, Hunt is able to create narratives that are
at once horrific and humorous, melancholic and joyful.
Scott Hunt was a recipient of the prestigious Pollock-
Krasner Grant in 2006. He has exhibited his drawings
in numerous group shows in Brooklyn and New York.
His work has been published in the New Yorker,
Harpers, The New York Times Magazine, The Boston
Globe and The Washington Post, among others.
Hunt's book, Twice Told- a collection of short stories
inspired by his drawings- has been honored by the
American Library Association as one of the 10 Best Art
Books of 2006. This is his first solo exhibition in
Europe.
Galerie Goff + Rosenthal
Brunnenstrasse 3 Berlin