Press Release from Mary Boone Gallery for January 2000 Exhibition

16 December 1999

On 7 January 2000 the Mary Boone Gallery will open with an exhibition of new paintings by DAMIAN LOEB.

Meticulously crafted in an almost hyper-realistic style, Damian Loeb's paintings expose the darker side of the contemporary psyche. Once described as a fusion of Edward Hopper and David Lynch, Loeb explores the ambiguity in the details of Western culture and its platitudes. In contrast to his last solo show one year ago, the new works do not focus on isolated violent and catastrophic events. They instead depict eerily specific, yet hard to place, interiors and landscapes that mimic situations from dreams or memories. The presence of a seemingly familiar cast - if not indeed the same person - makes it easy to envision a narrative connecting the paintings.

The process of creating the finished work involves collecting disparate images from a wide range of sources and collaging them together. After working out a successful composition, Loeb renders it in oil paint on an extremely rough weave canvas. The materials and techniques he employs assist in obscuring the seams between the individual images. With undoubted recognition of classic painting and art history, Loeb infuses an unsettlingly objective character to the otherwise innately subjective tableau.

The exhibition will continue through 12 February 2000. Please contact the Gallery if we can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

Ron Warren