ArtDiction - Journey to Self 2024 (Special Edition)

Habitual. Art.

Journey to Self Volume 39 Special Edition 2024 artdictionmagazine.com

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Lot 39 The Way of Nature: Art from Japan, China, and Korea September 21, 2025 — March 8, 2026

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FEATURES 14

Forever Incomplete Art Brian Tolbert is best known for portraiture of pop culture figures, self-portraits, and surrealist illustrations on cardboard. While his portraiture work is based in realism, his self-portraits and other works are presented through a lens of surrealism.

22 When Art Meet Activism Anchored in preserving Hong Kong’s identity amid political challenges and the diaspora experience, Amity Chan’s artistic practice stands as a testament to the resilience of a culture, capturing the spirit of a city that refuses to be silenced.

30 Stroke of Art Montressa Hammond, a stroke-induced visual artist, uses art to demonstrate the emotions she is experiencing and striving to express. Her post-stroke journey has empowered her to relearn complex emotions varying from joy and outrage from a first time perspective as an adult.

37 The Art of Dreams Ray Puerini draws inspiration from the peculiarities and absurdities that arise in his dreams and the vibrant fabric of reality that surrounds him. His work is a reflection of the eclectic sources that fuel his imagination.

Cover photo courtesy of Montressa Hammond.

44 Monochromatic Nostalgia Using her signature monochromatic style, Kadine Stephens paints on a grand scale, allowing her to capture intricate details and convey the depth of her subjects.

50 Growing, Healing & Unifying Courtney Lapenta’s art aids in the emotional processing of intense fear, softens metropolitan anxieties, and unifies communities.

58 Art Inspired by Culture William Boler is a visual artist with a Neoclassical style who finds meaningful inspiration from film with hidden meanings, authentic musicians, and a cultural and memories from his youth. ©2024 by Vika Visual Arts Association

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Photo courtesy of Amity Chan.

small talk

© Brian Tolbert

I

’m more than excited to share this special issue with you!

Over the past eight months, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside 7 talented, diverse artists who are navigating and finding their (rightful!) place in the art world.

I’m sure you’ll enjoy this issue just as much as we enjoyed putting it together. And for those in the DMV area, join us during our opening reception on December 7, at HOMME Gallery for a chance to meet the artists and purchase art.

(See page 10 for more details.)

These artists and samples of their work are featured in this issue. William Boler, Amity Chan, Montressa Hammond, Courtney Lapenta, Raymond Puerini, Kadine Stephens, and Brian Tolbert work in various mediums, and have used our time together to embark on a systematic, professional development journey while delving into their own personal journeys as artists.

Happy reading!

P.S. Don't forget to support the arts in your local community!

Devika Strother, Editor in Chief devika@artdictionmagazine.com

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news Christie’s Closes with a Solid $106.5 M. 21st-Century Art Sale The marquee New York evening auctions recently closed with a strong $106.5 million sale of 21st century art at Christie’s, led by a $23 million drawing by auction stalwart Jean-Michel Basquiat, setting a record for a work on paper by the artist. The atmosphere in the packed auction house was lively, and bidding was deep as buyers fought for their treasures in person, via phone, and online; after two withdrawals, every one of the 42 lots on offer sold.

The presale estimate was $74 million to $108 million; the $87 million hammer total, which does not include the house’s fees, came in solidly within estimate. Six lots were guaranteed by the house; some 17 lots bore third-party guarantees, meaning more than half the sale was pre-sold.

The equivalent sale last year closed at $88.4 million, which was seen as disappointing because that amount fell about $8 million short of its $96 million presale estimate. With premium, last year’s sale netted $107.5 million across an identical 42 lots.

Tonight’s outing, coming within estimate, suggested that at the end of two weeks of auctions, the auction market is bouncing back from a historic slump.

The night saw eight auction records set, for Firelei Báez, William Eggleston, Denzil Forrester, Sasha Gordon, Roni Horn, Ana Mendieta, Hilary Pecis, and Sarah Sze. Additionally, besides the Basquiat, medium-specific records were set for a Louise Bourgeois work on paper and for a Keith Haring sculpture.

Basquiat’s Untitled (1982) was estimated at $20 million to $30 million, making it far and away the night’s

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priciest lot. After two and a half minutes, it nearly met its low estimate to hammer for $19.5 million.

The price with fees of $23 million set a new record for a work on paper; the previous high for such a work was $15.2 million, achieved by the 1982 Untitled (Head) at Sotheby’s New York in 2020.

Untitled shows a half-length image of a distressed-looking figure seemingly wearing a laurel wreath, a symbol of triumph in classical iconography. The drawing was off the market since 1996, when the unnamed seller purchased it from dealers Enrico Navarro and Tony Shafrazi. The work notably did not carry a guarantee despite the high price.

Experts assessed the sale in positive terms.

“A strong sale, well curated,” New York dealer Dominique Lévy told ARTnews after the 80-minute auction. “Strong prices for young artists, great results for artists normally quiet at auction like Roni Horn, and an appetite for quality.

However the mood remains selective and knowledgeable.” To her point about young artists: that record-setting work by Firelei Báez, her auction debut, tripled its high estimate to fetch $567,000. The Horn, estimated at up to $1.2 million, hammered at $1.5 million ($1.8 million with fees).

Investor Max Dolgicer was also upbeat.

“It was a very strong sale with no surprises,” he said. “It wasn’t as glamorous as Tuesday, but those sales don’t come around all the time.” The same house had a rousing $486 million sale on Tuesday night, including lots from designer and philanthropist Mica Ertegun and led by a record-smashing $121 million René Magritte.

Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled, 1982.

Christie’s Images LTD 2024.

Two works, a Diane Arbus photo and an Eric Fischl painting, were withdrawn, presumably for lack of interest. All the remaining works sold; 15 went for prices at or above their high estimate, while 12 sold within estimate and 15 failed to meet their low estimates.

Three works came from ARTnews Top 200 collectors, according to Artnet News: newsprint magnate Peter Brant consigned the Basquiat and a Koons vacuum cleaner sculpture (as well as the withdrawn Fischl), while Greek Cypriot industrialist and Top 200 collector Dakis Joannou consigned a Koons Large Vase of Flowers.

The night’s second-priciest lot was David Hockney’s Four Empty Vases (1996), which had been off the record since 1997. Estimated at $3.5 million to $5.5 million, bidding topped out at $7.1 million to a bidder in the room—or $8.6 million with fees—after a three-minute contest.

news Jeff Koons had a good night, with his works accounting for two of the top 10.

The artist’s Large Vase of Flowers (1991), which came in at number three for the night, is a polychromed wood sculpture standing just over four feet. It was estimated at $6 million to $8 million and bore a third-party guarantee. After two and a half minutes, it hammered at $6.8 million, or $8.2 million with fees. Joannou acquired the piece, the artist’s proof from an edition of three, from the artist in 1993. It has appeared in some 19 museum exhibitions, including his 2014-15 retrospective. Another edition went for $5.7 million on a $6 million high estimate at Christie’s New York in 2009.

“Since taking art lessons as a child, I have had flowers in my work,” the artist has said. “I always like the sense that a flower just displays itself. The viewer always finds grace in a flower. Flowers are a symbol that life goes forward.”

Number six on the night was Koons’s sculpture New Hoover Celebrity IV, New Hoover Convertible, New Shelton 5 Gallon Wet/Dry, New Shelton 10 Gallon Wet/Dry Doubledecker (19811986), in which the various vacuum cleaners are displayed in a case.

Estimated at $3.5 million to $5.5 million, it hammered within estimate at $4.2 million, or $5.1 with fees, after a 90-second contest.

Brant got it at Sotheby’s New York in 1991 for $137,500; English advertising magnate Charles Saatchi was the seller that time around. It came to auction in 2013, tagged at up to $15 million, and failed to sell; in 2017, the seller went with a more conservative estimate of up to $10 million. It sold for just $6.4 million after fees this time around.

Women accounted for two of the artists in the top 10.

Yayoi Kusama’s mammoth sculpture Pumpkin (2022), one of the largest examples of her trademark subject at eight feet wide, was tagged at $6 million to $8 million; after just a minute, it hammered at a below-estimate $5.6 million, or $6.8 million with fees, to become the night’s number four prize.

Her auction record for a pumpkin sculpture is $8 million, achieved by a similarly sized 2014 Pumpkin (L) at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2023.

“Pumpkins talk to me,” the artist has said.

Fifth-priciest on the night was British-American painter Cecily Brown’s The Butcher and the Policeman (2013), which the seller bought in 2014. Titled for a passage in Joseph Conrad’s novel Heart of Darkness and standing 5 and half feet high, it bore an estimate of $4 million to $6 million, and hammered after a lengthy three and a half minutes at $4.9 million, to total $6 million with fees, not dramatically short of her record.

That remains $6.8 million, paid for the 9-foot-wide Suddenly Last Summer (1999) at Sotheby’s New York in 2018. Brown was the subject of a recent retrospective at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art; another show is currently at the Dallas Museum of Art and soon to come to Philadelphia’s Barnes Collection.

Rounding out the top 10 were a sculpture by David Hammons, ca.

1978 sculpture Untitled (Flight Fantasy), which went for $3.9 million; a George Condo painting, The Executives and Their Wives (2011), which earned $3.9 million; the 1987 Keith Haring sculpture, Untitled (Hollywood African Mask), which fetched $3.2 million; and a Rashid Johnson painting, Triptych “Box of Rain” (2020-2022), for $2.7 million.

Yayoi Kusama, Pumpkin, 2022. Christie’s Images LTD 2024.

(All prices with buyer’s premium unless otherwise noted.)

Frieze Los Angeles Names Exhibitors for 2025 Edition Frieze Los Angeles has named the more than 100 galleries that will participate in its 2025 edition, scheduled to run February 20–23 at the Santa Monica Airport.

This year’s fair will continue with some of the changes it introduced last year, including its shift to align with the Presidents Day holiday weekend, site-specific commissions by the Art Production Fund, and a tent designed by the architectural firm WHY. It will also feature a few more galleries than the 95 that exhibited in the 2024.

Additionally, independent curator Essence Harden will once again organize the fair’s Focus section, which highlights emerging artists.

The 2025 edition of Frieze LA will bring together a mix of mega-galleries and blue-chip enterprises, including Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, Pace Gallery, David Zwirner, White Cube, Lisson Gallery, Kukje Gallery, Victoria Miro, Maureen Special Edition 2024 | 7 |

news Paley, and Thaddaeus Ropac, alongside some of the city’s top home-grown dealerships like Blum, Regen Projects, David Kordansky Gallery, The Box, Night Gallery, and Commonwealth & Council.

(Nearly half of all the exhibitors operate a space in LA.) In an effort to change up the fair’s typical exhibitor list, 14 galleries will head to Frieze LA for the first time, such as Southern Guild, Mariane Ibrahim, Linseed, Monique Meloche, and Timothy Taylor. Matthew Brown, Sebastian Gladstone, Charlie James, and Nazarian / Curcio have been promoted from the Focus section to the main Galleries section. More than half of the galleries in this year’s Focus section are LA-based, including Sow & Tailor, Make Room, Nonaka-Hill, and Carlye Packer; they will feature alongside Minneapolis’s Dreamsong, New York’s Lyles & King, and Oakland’s pt. 2 Gallery.

“As a major art center, Los Angeles plays an influential role in the global art scene,” Frieze’s Americas director Christine Messineo said in a statement. “Frieze Los Angeles 2025 will serve as a key platform in the city’s dynamic cultural landscape, celebrating creativity, innovation and community. This year, at Santa Monica Airport, we will bring together a stellar roster of galleries and artists that reflect the vibrancy and diversity of Los Angeles and beyond.”

For a full list of exhibitors, visit frieze.com/fairs/frieze-los-angeles/ galleries.

Four Artworks That Had Surprising Results at the Big November Day Sales in New York

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Clockwise from left: Thomas Houseago, Standing Owl I (2012); Peter Saul, Study for Prune Head (2001); Pat Passlof, Braid (1959); Ivy Haldeman, Colussus, Knee to Elbow, Wrist Bent, Four Fingers Edge Out (2018); Photo: Courtesy Phillips (3) Courtesy of Christie’s (1)

At the major November art auctions last week in New York, a $121 million Magritte and a certain duct-taped banana made headlines around the world when they sold in evening sales at, respectively, Christie’s and Sotheby’s. Those big-ticket nighttime events tend to be carefully choreographed affairs, with a sizable percentage of lots guaranteed to sell. Their results can provide some clues about the state of the market, but to really get a sense of the state of play, it’s best to return to the houses the next day (or at least tune in online) to see how their day sales perform.

Estimates are far lower, there is less behind-the-scenes maneuvering, and some material is even offered without a reserve (a minimum price).

There tend to be surprises at the day sales. As some lots catch fire and others fall flat, reputations can be made—and lost. Below, a look at

four lots that had intriguingly outof-the-ordinary results.

Thomas Houseago, Standing Owl I (2012) Auction: Phillips, Modern and contemporary art day sale, November 20 Estimate: $60,000 to $80,000 Sold for: $330,200 Pat Passlof, Braid (1959) Auction: Christie’s, post-war and contemporary art day sale, November 22 Estimate: $30,000 to $50,000 Sold for: $126,000 Ivy Haldeman, Colussus, Knee to Elbow, Wrist Bent, Four Fingers Edge Out (2018) Auction: Phillips, Modern and contemporary art day sale, November 20 Estimate: $40,000 to $60,000 Sold for: $38,100

news Peter Saul, Study for Prune Head (2001) Auction: Phillips, modern and contemporary art day sale, November 20 Estimate: $5,000 to $7,000 Sold for: $699 Banksy’s ‘Well Hung Lover’ Mural Will Soon Be Sold with the Building It is Painted on A Banksy mural of a man hanging out of a bedroom window as he tries to evade his love rival is being sold at auction with the building it is painted on.

Titled Well Hung Lover, it was painted on the wall of a sexual health clinic in Bristol, UK, in 2006.

Banksy, who is from the city, said he wasn’t aware of the building’s coincidental use at the time.

Real estate agent Hollis Morgan is auctioning the property – and therefore the artwork – with a new 250-year lease next year.

The Grade II-listed Georgian building has five floors and is located close to Bristol Cathedral and the University of Bristol. A nightclub operates in the basement. Hollis Morgan is promoting the property’s potential to be converted into student apartments.

As for the fate of the artwork, the real estate agent pointed to the fact that Bristol city council has no official policy on street art, no matter who it is by.

“It is recognised that street art is created not as a permanent work of art but as a form of protest which is usually, but not always, created illegally and without the permission of the owner of the building,” Hollis Morgan told the Guardian. “As such, the life of any image as a work of art will evolve and change over time depending on how the work weathers or indeed is subsequently painted over or removed.”

The property’s guide price is just under $900,000. Given Banksy’s most expensive work ever sold at auction went for more than $23.5 million (Love is in the Bin), the estimate looks like a bargain. However, any potential buyers hoping to purchase the building so they can sell the Banksy will have to think again.

Hollis Morgan added, “Accordingly the purchaser will be required to accept a restricBanksy’s ‘Well Hung Lover’ was painted on the tive covenant in the lease ensuring side of a sexual health clinic in Bristol in 2006. that the image cannot be removed Andrew Michael/Education Images/Universal from the building, however, the Images Group via Getty Images. vendor will not require a positive obligation on the purchaser to In a statement, Marc Payot, presimaintain the artwork or insure it for dent of Hauser & Wirth, said, “Part as long as it shall remain visible and of a generation of artists bringing in place on the building.”Degen, the fresh energy to the medium of fraught political environment is dis- painting, María is a confident innocouraging aspirational spending, a vator dedicated to both technical big factor behind stalling revenues. inventiveness and new interpre“In a time of conflict, it’s seen as tations of the deep, psychologiinappropriate or excessive,” she cally rich reservoir where folklore, said. mythology and history mingle.”

Hauser & Wirth to Represent María Berrío, Whose Collages Blend Reality and Mythology María Berrío, whose collaged paintings mesh folklore with her own personal lore, will join the roster at Hauser & Wirth. The gallery, which will mount a solo show of her work in 2025, will co-represented the artist with her London-based gallery Victoria Miro.

Hauser & Wirth will also bring one of Berrío’s works to its Art Basel Miami Beach booth this December.

Born in Colombia and based in New York, Berrío has received attention for her paintings of people, mainly women, in domestic settings and forests. These works refer to issues related to immigration, displacement, and diasporas.

Her work has been the subject of a spread of solo shows over the past few years, including a 2022 exhibition held in Venice during the Biennale. Exhibitions at the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston and Duke University’s Nasher Museum of Art followed that show.

During the pandemic, the market for her work surged, with auction results steadily climbing between 2020 and 2022. Twenty-four works by her have been sold publicly at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, and Phillips, with her 2015 work He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not going for a record $1.6 million in 2022 in New York.

That result more than doubled its estimate; several months later, her painting The Lovers 3 (2015) went for $1.6 million during a New York sale.

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exhibits Journey to Self December 7–December 14, 2024 HOMME Gallery Vika Visual Arts Association (VVAA) is pleased to announce its upcoming group exhibition, “Journey to Self,” which will be on display from Saturday, December 7, through Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Homme Gallery, 2000 L Street, N.W., in Washington, D.C. 20036.

This week-long exhibition will feature works by seven visual artists, currently participating in VVAA’s “Mind Your Art Business” artist development program: William Boler, Amity Chan, Montressa Hammond, Courtney Lapenta, Raymond Puerini, Kadine Stephens, and Brian Tolbert. The artists’ works, which encompass a variety of mediums—painting, sculpture, photography, and multimedia installations—reflect their respective journeys, as they grapple with issues, such as selfperception, growth, and transformation.

“I established VVAA with the mission to provide emerging artists with opportunities they might not otherwise have at this stage of their careers,” says Devika Strother, Founder and Executive Director. “Our exhibitions affirm our commitment to showcase the talent of local artists, by providing them with a platform to present their work, build connections, and gain visibility in the community.”

Participating artists have shared their excitement about the upcoming exhibition: “The VVAA program has helped me tremendously with my growth as an artist. I’m able to receive resources from various mentors and influencers that have been in the game for years,” says painter Kadine Stephens. “I thank Devika for creating this program for | 10 | ArtDiction

emerging artists, like myself, giving us the tools we need to navigate this new world.” Adds multimedia artist Raymond Puerini, “I am excited to be featured with a group of other talented local artists and to have the opportunity to show my latest works, in which I have continued to explore a couple of new techniques in printmaking and photography.”

The “Journey to Self” exhibition, which is free to the public, will open with a reception on Saturday, December 7, from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and guests are invited to enjoy light refreshments and meet the artists. The exhibition will close with an artist talk on Saturday, December 14, from 2:00 p.m to 4:00 p.m.

POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFEREN November 3, 2024–May 2026 Mass MoCa Jeffrey Gibson’s POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT is a newly commissioned immersive installation filling MASS MoCA’s signature Building 5 gallery that follows Gibson’s highly celebrated United States representation at the 60th edition of La Biennale di Venezia. Gibson is known for creating installations, performances, paintings, and sculpture that elevate and provide visibility to queer and Indigenous communities, whose cultural narratives have been historically marginalized.

Throughout the run of the exhibition, the project will host a series of performances by Indigenous creatives from across North America.

Gibson views the exhibition as an invitation to other Indigenous creatives to contribute to a space where difference is not only considered, it is celebrated.

Cox. Journey to Self. Coutesy of William Boler.

The installation features seven aspirational and newly constructed oversized garments, which are adorned with beads and found materials, that have been organized in kaleidoscopic patterns and are suspended from the ceiling on tipi poles or worn during performances. These works are informed by various faith-based regalia and club culture — paying homage to the past while signaling hope for the future.

POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT also offers an exploration into the term “twospirit”, a third gender which is both, and neither, male or female and is often embraced by many Indigenous individuals and communities to encompass gender and spiritual identity. The exhibition will include the 1992 documentary Two Spirit People

by Michel Beauchemin, Lori Levy, and Gretchen Vogel, which features Indigenous two-spirit individuals discussing the term and their identities as creatives on the streets of the Bay Area.

A new video installation, suspended from the ceiling, will accompany the documentary

exhibits harnessing both contemporary and early drag culture that facilitates in creating a club-like atmosphere in the first half of the gallery. Titled Your Spirit Whispers in My Ear (2024), the collection of videos are edited by Sancia Miala Shiba Nash with a soundtrack

by Patrick “Reachout” Coll and the material for the videos is crowd-sourced from more than 20 Indigenous two-spirit individuals, DJs, drag performers, academics, and activists.

A mirrored, multi-colored wall bisects the gallery space, endto-end and floor-to-ceiling reflecting the videos and other works in the galleries creating a kaleidoscopic vision for visitors.

Seven,12×12-foot fused glass performance stages with graphic geometric designs further amplify the experience. Each of the oversized garments will be suspended from the ceiling above its corresponding dance floor, and all seven will be distributed on both sides of the wall. These stages will be the site of many of the performances that will unfold throughout the 18-month exhibition.

The exhibition is book-ended in two mezzanine galleries. The lower space contains a new twochannel video depicting Gibson wearing all seven garments in the exhibition, almost unaware of the camera, yet still conscious of being seen. This new video is inspired by legendary performer Leigh Bowery, a longtime influence for Gibson’s work. In particular, Gibson is channeling Bowery’s 1988 performance at the Anthony D’Offay Gallery in London, in which Bowery took up residence in the gallery’s street facing window behind a one way mirror. Each day Bowery tried on different costumes while preening and posing. Though the audience could see him, Bowery could only see himself raising the question of revealing and concealing one’s presence. The upper space will contain a resource space curated with Gibson and Antonia Oliver at the artist’s studio presented in three iterations over the 18-month exhibition; this space will open with a focus on videos, costumes, and texts by TwoSpirit contributors to Gibson’s

exhibition.

POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT collaborators include program contributors Laura Ortman, Emily Johnson, Martha Redbone, Lou Cornum, Divide and Dissolve, Arielle Twist, Zoon, Raven Chacon, devynn emory, MX Oops and more, and video contributors Sean Stevens and Adrian Snyder, Ty Fierce, Metteba Navi Ho, Carla Rossi / Anthony Hudson, Joseph Pierce, Miko Thomas, Morgan Wallace, Arielle Twist, Lou Cornum, Kairyn Potts, Lady Shug, Beejee (Qahir-beejee Llaneza) Peco, Cocoa Chandelier, Jontay Kahm, Dan Taulapapa McMullin, Razelle Benally, Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie, Yoli, Hinaleimoana WongKalu, Charlie Amáyá Scott, Kira Xonorika, Evan James Atwood,Theo Jean Cuthand and others.

Prior to the exhibition opening at MASS MoCA, Gibson will reveal a new mural in collaboration with The Rose Kennedy Greenway in Dewey Square, Boston, MA, on view since September 19, 2024.

Ordinary People: Photorealism and the Work of Art since 1968 November 23, 2024–May 4, 2025 The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles The first large-scale exhibition to reexamine the postwar art movement of photorealism and trace its lineages in art of the present day, Ordinary People: Photorealism and the Work of Art since 1968 includes more than forty artists (largely though not exclusively North American), spans the 1960s to the present, and features paintings alongside drawings and sculptures.

This historical, scholarly, group exhibition recovers the social art history of photorealism and complicates its meaning as a realism.

While photorealism is often regarded as an end–of figuration, of

Jeffrey Gibson: POWER FULL BECAUSE WE’RE DIFFERENT, 2024. Courtesy of Jeffrey Gibson Studio. Photo: Thomas Roeschlein

representation, and even of painting at the close of the 1960s–this timely exhibition recasts photorealism as beginning, arguing for its continued presence in contemporary art. It features canonical and under-recognized photorealists of the 1960s and ‘70s (Robert Bechtle, Vija Celmins, Chuck Close, Richard Estes, Audrey Flack, Duane Hanson, Idelle Weber); reconsiders well-known figures within photorealist frameworks (John Ahearn and Rigoberto Torres, Barkley L. Hendricks, Joan Semmel, Amy Sherald, Kehinde Wiley); and identifies younger generations of artists’ receptions of photorealism (Gina Beavers, Cynthia Daignault, Sayre Gomez, Vincent Valdez, Christine Tien Wang).

Ordinary People examines the representational politics of photorealist painting in the context of the recent rise of figurative portraiture, considering its key place in the ongoing remedial project

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exhibits carried out by folks of marginalized identities to repopulate the museum with pictures of people and places historically excluded or disfigured. It further explores photorealism’s significance as painting of everyday life, and pulls apart the intrinsic tension between ordinary images and extraordinary artistic methods by focusing on relationships of labor, value, populism, and taste. As well, it takes seriously the myriad ways artists have deployed photorealism to entice viewers with a non-confrontational aesthetic often only to show images of painful historical events and social experiences that might otherwise be regarded as too difficult to look at, or too easy to ignore. Finally, the exhibition asserts the primacy of photorealism to critically think through the 21st-century attention economy’s glut of image production.

The exhibition is accompanied by a 256-page scholarly catalogue co-published by MOCA and DelMonico Books.

Ordinary People: Photorealism and the Work of Art since 1968 is organized by Anna Katz, Senior Curator, with Paula Kroll, Curatorial Assistant, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

Lead support is provided by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation and Margaret Morgan and Wesley Phoa.

Major support is provided by the MOCA Projects Council and Maria Seferian.

Making Strange: Sacred Imagery and the Self November 14, 2024–April 6, 2025 Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts “Making Strange: Sacred Imagery and the Self” as an exhibition is an exercise in close viewing, recogniz| 12 | ArtDiction

Michael Alvarez, Look at This Photograph (L-R Primas Locas y El Mike, Flea, Go Shorty It’s Your Birthday), 2018, oil, spray paint, and graphite on canvas and panel, 31 x 24 in. (78.7 x 60.1 cm).

Collection of Anthony Lepore and Michael Henry Hayden, Courtesy of the artist.

ing intentional distortion and reinterpretation of traditional sacred imagery as a means of fostering introspection and meaningful dialogue based on one’s own lived experience.

This exhibition features paintings, sculpture, and works on paper in PAFA’S collection that highlights the art historical concept of “making strange,” a term coined

by Dr. Marcia Hall in her book the Sacred Image. The term describes a Counter Reformation (1545-1648) artistic movement where artists used distortion as a stylistic signature and an interactive tool. The implementation of “making strange” as an artistic practice encourages longer, closer viewing, with the goal of inspiring emotion and deep self-reflection. Making Strange as an exhibition is an exercise in close viewing, recognizing intentional distortion and reinterpretation of traditional sacred imagery across cultures as a means of fostering introspection and meaningful dialogue based on one’s own lived experience.

The Three Shades August 24, 2024–August 23, 2026 Oklahoma City Museum of Art This single-gallery installation explores French sculptor Auguste Rodin’s The Three Shades as well as his unique sculptural process.

Often referred to as “the father of modern sculpture,” Rodin is considered one of the most renowned and influential French sculptors of the late nineteenth century. The Three Shades was originally created as part of The Gates of Hell, a monumental set of bronze entrance doors commissioned in 1880 for a decorative arts museum to be built in Paris. Though plans to construct the museum were abandoned three years later, The Gates of Hell became a source of great creativity for the artist and spawned numerous enlarged sculptural groups, including The Three Shades and Rodin’s most recognizable work, The Thinker.

Bent Word November 2–December 21, 2024 David Klein Gallery Over four decades, Peter Williams (1952 - 2021) created artworks that explore contemporary culture, racism, mass incarceration, environmentalism, and voyeurism through an approachable visual style. His paintings encourage the viewer to look deeply at the canvas for clues and insight about the Black experience. Defying categorization, his painting style incorporates varying levels of abstraction, figuration, narrative, and iconographic elements. He draws inspiration from posters, comics, and the vibrant colors of city life.

“Most people don’t have any kind of dialogue with the work of 500 years ago or even 100 years ago. I’m trying to talk in the language that’s available to most people. We live in a comic universe right now. I’m trying to be subversive by saying underneath all this humor is something we’d better start paying attention to. And I’m using the signs and symbols and signifiers that I learned from the Western tradition of oil painting,” noted Williams in an interview with the Artists’ Legacy Foundation in 2020.

Bent Word focuses on Williams’ paintings made in the last few years

of his life. The series include Afro-Futurist narratives about a superhero named “The N Word,” as well as a group of African American colonists who leave Earth due to impending environmental catastrophe. In both, Williams uses dazzling patterns and imagery to guide the viewer on a journey rife with art historical and pop culture references, satire, and creativity.

Adam and Tanisha, 2019 Oil on canvas 60 x 72 inches.

At the time of his death, Peter Williams lived Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, in Wilmington, DE, and had reDE; Howard University, Washington, cently retired from his position as DC; and Davis Museum at Wellesley Senior Professor in the Fine Arts College, MA. His works are also in Department at the University of the Pizzuti Collection, Columbus, Delaware. He was an associate proOH; Mott-Warsh Collection, fessor at Wayne State University Flint, MI; McEvoy Collection, San in Detroit for 17 years prior to his Francisco, CA; Jorge M. Pérez professorship at the University of Collection at Espacio 23, Miami, Delaware. Williams earned an MFA FL; and the Beth Rudin DeWoody from the Maryland Institute College Collection at The Bunker, Palm of Art and a BFA from Minneapolis Beach, FL among others.

College of Art and Design.

Peter Williams’ paintings are held in the permanent collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC; Whitney Museum of American Art, NY; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN; Detroit Institute of Arts, MI;

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Forever Incomplete Art

B

rian started drawing at an early age, and his talent was recognized when he was just 9 years old, leading to formal training. In fourth grade, he received a five-year scholarship to The Art Connection, a youth arts program at The Carnegie Museum of Art & Natural History in Pittsburgh, PA. “From fifth through ninth grade, I focused on refining my natural abilities, honing my illustration skills, and exploring different art mediums like painting, printmaking, and sculpture,” he shares. “In high school, I continued my artistic development at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild Youth & Arts initiative before going on to graduate from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh.”

“Art has always been something I was affirmed in,” Brian states, adding that it was one of the first ways he found to communicate with the world and feel seen, heard, and appreciated. “So many struggles, ideas, and emotions I couldn’t put into words, I was able to channel through my art. That ability to express and share my pain has been deeply healing for me.”

He continues: “So much of my art is rooted in my own trauma, especially from childhood. I feel like much of my adult life has been about unlearning and working through the issues that stem from expe-

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riences I had between birth and five years old. The way I connect with others, how I experience love, and how I see myself are all shaped by those early experiences—ones I may not even consciously remember, yet they continue to influence me.“ These experiences show up in Brian’s art and serve as a source of healing, inspiration and fuel for his creativity. “It feels strange to say, but creativity often feels like it happens on autopilot for me.

While there’s a difference between feeling truly inspired and just having a thought, anything that sparks my curiosity can be channeled into my creative process.”

Today, Briann is best known for portraiture of pop culture figures, self-portraits, and surrealist illustrations on cardboard. “I emphasize the face and eyes in my work, capturing the essence of a subject even in pensive stares and moments of observation,” he explains.

Over a decade ago, Brian began developing an ongoing series, “The Art of Vanity” where he delves into the complexities of who he is, who he’s been, and who he is becoming. The series currently examines identity and transformation, with each portrait encapsulating moments in his life, reflecting his battles with escapism, depression, and his ongoing relationship with death. However, Brian sees a possible

I Owe it to Myself

shift in the art he will continue to present.

“I see this series evolving into something more joyful and uplifting, with less focus on trauma, as I continue my healing journey. I can also envision it taking on a completely different medium. As I grow as an artist, I plan to explore beyond illustration and painting—maybe even something entirely new.” Brian shares that his series may even take the form of fashion, public speaking, music, writing, or any other outlet. “I’m leaving space for all possibilities.”

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Brian is already looking ahead to and planning for 2025. “I have a lot of new art I’m looking forward to sharing with the world.

My goal is to do a few solo and group exhibitions this coming year.”

Visit foreverincompleteart.com for more of Brian’s art. To see his works in progress and to get a peek at some behind-thescenes work, follow him on Instagram: @foreverincompleteart.

Pieces of Me

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Horse

Light Benders

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The Silence is So Loud

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I Got Me

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OOTD

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Summer of Defiance-Liberate Hong Kong,Revolution of Our Times

When Art Meets Activism

A

mity Chan began using art as a tool for activism in high school, initially experimenting with ways to address human rights issues in Hong Kong and nearby regions. “My focus sharpened in 2019 during the Anti-Extradition Law Protests in Hong Kong,” she recalls.

“Witnessing and experiencing police brutality firsthand during peaceful protests was a turning point, as I confronted the rapid downfall of democracy in my home city.”

With a Bachelor of Fine Arts in General Fine Arts and a minor in Culture and Politics from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland, using her creative voice to bring attention to the political affairs in Hong Kong comes naturally to Amity. As an artist, she says she felt an urgent responsibility to create work that not only voices her own experiences but also speaks on behalf of those still enduring these struggles in Hong Kong. Amity states that as of October 2024, over 1,900 political prisoners have been detained, facing prolonged pretrial detention, denied bail, and even life sentences for their roles in the pro-democracy movement.

Government officials have even stated that there is no time limit for charging the 7,000 individuals arrested in recent protests, she adds.

“Through painting, printmaking, photography, and art installations, I educate the public on the new face of Hong Kong and capture the spirit of a city that refuses to be silenced, Amity says. Screen-printing has been the most impactful medium in her activism. “Though it’s intended for quick production, I often spend hours refining my prints to get them just right. Screen-printing has a long tradition in creating protest posters and spreading messages, making it a perfect match for my intentions,” she says.

When the 2019 protests began in June, Amity recalls that she was still in school for the summer semester. “Watching the news from afar, I felt helpless, unable to be there to support my fellow activists. So, I poured my energy into what I could do at the time: making art.” This led Amity to create two editions of prints: Be Safe, My Friends and the Handcuffs Series.

Be Safe, My Friends was inspired by Fai Chun, a traditional Chinese decoration used during Lunar New Year to bring good luck to the home and family. “Being far from home, I wanted to hold on to hope and bring luck and safety to my fellow democracy activists in Hong Kong as they faced increasing police brutality,” she says. The Handcuffs Series criticizes the unjust arrests of protesters, journalists, first-aiders,

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and civilians during the 2019 Anti-Extradition Law Protests.

Amity draws inspiration from historical events, current news, and cultural traditions in Hong Kong. “Even though I grew up in Hong Kong, I have spent half of my adult life in the United States pursuing my education,” she says. “I still discover new things about my home city that I didn’t know before, and I love sharing that excitement in my artwork through bright colors and playful brush strokes.” Amity adds: “With many Hong Kongers moving or planning to move abroad, “preserving our identity—especially our unique language, culture, and traditions—has become a key focus for me. I’m actively learning and exploring more about Hong Kong traditions to keep that connection alive.”

Amity is currently challenging herself by working on larger-scale pieces of art and

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combining new mediums. “I am creating pieces that explore light, reflections, textures, scents, and new technologies to recreate the Hong Kong we oncenew,” she says. “Additionally, considering the risks that political dissenters faced abroad, especially concerning their family members, I am looking to develop an AI tool that facilitates human interaction in a way reminiscent of a typical Asian parent—cold but caring. This tool aims to help ease their loneliness and educate the public about the differences between Western and Hong Kong culture.”

Visit amitychan.wixsite.com/amitychan and follow Amity on Instagram (@emm.axz) to see more of her work.

Coexistance

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Horse Be Same, My Friends

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Handcuffs

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The Taste of Home (Dai Pai Dong)

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Ding Ding (Hong Kong Tramways)

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Stroke of Art

M

ontressa Hammon is a selftaught artist whose passion for art blossomed on social media after she experienced a stroke in 2020. Feeling particularly inspired by dynamic paint pouring style that vividly captured her emotions through the interplay of colors, she began practicing various brush and blending techniques that helped develop her oil-like style of painting using acrylics.

Montressa began paint pouring just two months after her stroke and quickly progressed to creating abstract pieces with heavy body mediums. “The feelings of confinement during COVID, combined with my medical emergency, sparked a longing for the beach, igniting my passion for seascapes,” she recalls. “As I realized my emotional understanding had faded, I began to paint subjects that held personal significance, like James Brown, who was my grandfather’s favorite artist. This experience deepened my fascination with capturing people and their facial expressions to help identify and acknowledge my own emotions.”

Montressa compares the beginning of her painting journey to a child experiencing a playground for the first time—a delightful mix of wonder and curiosity, making it an exhilarating experience. “Painting has been

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incredibly enjoyable, and it felt both natural and strangely unfamiliar at the same time.

The more I painted, the more I wanted to learn about the craft, which led me to constantly challenge myself with new artistic techniques.”

Montressa uses painting to express a variety of emotions. Each artwork tells its own unique story and stands alone, even within a series that shares a similar style.

“I believe that while each painting conveys its own emotions, the complexity of those feelings allows the works to connect with one another, reflecting my ongoing journey of self-discovery as an artist,” she says.

Montressa’s life experiences are her source of creativity, which is evident by works on canvas. “My post-stroke journey has allowed me to relearn complex emotions, experiencing everything from joy to outrage from a first-time perspective as an adult,” she shares. “Through painting, I can explore my thoughts and arrive at a clearer understanding of the emotions I’m feeling.”

Montressa employs the same creative process each time she creates art. She starts by finding an image that encapsulates her feelings in a single glance. “From there, I enhance the image to reflect my individual perspective, further personalizing it during the painting process to enrich the overall composition,” she says. I also like to exper-

In Responsibilities’ Grip

iment with colors, determining which hues and shades resonate best with the emotions I wish to convey.”

Monstressa has recently shifted her focus to landscape paintings, including one in particular that showcases the view from her back porch with a view of her backyard, the nearby graveyard, local homes, a church, and the wildlife and plant life that thrive in the area. “It symbolizes the passage of time and serves as a meaningful reminder of the connection between life and

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death,” she reveals. “Having gone through a transformative medical emergency, I’m motivated to live boldly and authentically.

Life is short, and we have just one chance to create beautiful memories before we all face our mortality.”

To see more of Montressa’s art, check out her online portfolio at strokeofart.org.

Pick Your Poison

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Horse

| 34 | ArtDiction It Felt Like Love

The Landscape “Mt. Winans”

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Attention Seeking Virus

The Art of Dreams

R

aymond Puerini began taking art classes about 13 years ago in local community art centers in Philadelphia and again when he moved to Washington, DC about 10 years ago.

“Earlier on, my classes were an assortment of printmaking techniques on paper, but over time, I expanded my repertoire to take classes in different mediums, including ceramics, jewelry making, stained glass, stone sculpture, and darkroom photography,” he says.

Although skilled across various mediums, Raymond feels that his work in ceramics is where he has the most skill along with the ability to bring his ideas to life. “I enjoy that ceramics allows me to experiment with form, design, and color and presents many opportunities to do so throughout the creative process.”

Raymond draws inspiration from current events, popular culture, science fiction and fantasy, ancient history, and ancient artistic practices. His daily life, experiences, and dreams also serve as inspiration.

“At the functional level, I believe that our dreams serve to help us process our daily experiences and connect them to all that has happened to us before,” he explains.

“But I also like to play with the idea that dreams hold a mystical element and have some other kind of potential meaning or portent.”

Raymond documents the dream concept of the ones he can remember in his notes before the memory fades from his mind.

“Once I have the dream documented, I try to isolate an element or image from that dream that stands out the most to me and then think about how that applies to my life and the world around me and if there may be some sort of sign or secret meaning that can be derived,” he explains. “Once I make those connections, I usually have an image and concept that I can work with to serve as a starting inspiration for my art.”

Raymond shares that he currently has a giant backlog of black and white film to process, so he’s looking forward to getting back into the darkroom in 2025. “I have traveled to a very wide assortment of locations, so I will have some visually appealing landscape, architectural, and street photography to present.” Raymond also plans to continue experimenting with darkroom photographic processing and the application of other mediums to his photographic works in the next year. “Beyond that, I anticipate trying out a new artistic medium in 2025, and mosaics or metal sculpture are currently at the top of my list of things to try.”

To stay up-to-date on Raymond’s art, follow him on Instagram: @jellowillkillusart. For a more comprehensive view of his artistic portfolio, visit his website at https://jellowillkillus.wixsite.com/rap-art.

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Bisti Badlands

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Plains Visitors

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Horse

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Phone Home Popart

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Ancient Alien Planter

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Alien Superstar

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Monochromatic Nostalgia D

rawing always came naturally to portrait artist, Kadine Stephens. She recalls doodling during church and on the edges of her papers throughout elementary and middle school. “In high school, I decided to take art classes, and it was in AP Art that we started learning the fundamentals of painting and blending techniques. I always looked forward to art class; it felt like my home away from home.” After finishing nursing school, Kadine decided to focus on portrait painting and watched countless YouTube videos to master proportions. “From there, I began to develop my own niche and continued to practice relentlessly.”

Kadine’s portfolio includes her signature monochromatic style that emerged when she painted her first portrait—Barack Obama. “While I was still learning to master portraiture, I started with shades of gray, black, and white. After completing a few more pieces, I fell in love with the style, and it stuck,” says Kadine.

Inspired by a mix of personal experiences, cultural influences, and a deep connection to emotion and storytelling, Kadine is often drawn to the timeless feel of black-and-white photography and the nostalgic vibes of the ‘90s, which influences her monochromatic style. “I’ve never dabbled into photography. I do have a huge respect for photographers though. I think photography is beautiful; to have such a keen eye on perspective, color grading etc is dope,” she says.

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Kadine adds that she is fascinated by the way art can capture raw emotion and tell stories without words. This drives her to create pieces that resonate with both personal meaning and universal appeal. “Ultimately, my art is a reflection of the world around me, the people I encounter, and the emotions that shape our human experience.”

Joining a community of Black creatives has also deeply influenced Kadine’s art by providing a sense of connection, support, and inspiration.

“Being part of this community allows me to see how other Black artists express their experiences and identities through different mediums, which pushes me to explore new perspectives and techniques in my own work,” she says. “The shared understanding of cultural experiences, history, and struggles fosters a creative environment where I can authentically express myself and feel understood, reminding me that my voice and art matter in a broader cultural conversation.”

To see more of Kadine’s work, visit her website at kadinestephens.com and follow her on Instagram: @the.nurse.who.paints.

Flower Boy

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Mother’s Child

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Feelings

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Parallel Journeys

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Growing, Healing & Unifying

C

ourtney Lapenta became interested in painting during break periods while at college. As a dance performance major, she had little spare time to pursue other hobbies. “It was relieving to create through a new medium. I often oscillated between photorealistic pencil portrait drawings and experimental abstract paintings,” she recalls. “My interest in painting coincided with what I would call a spiritual awakening and realizations of the subconscious mind.”

Courtney used improvisational dance as a tool for emotional regulation and personal growth.

Dancing alone and without a public eye allowed her to freely experiment with new boundaries of emotions and express a physical story of hardships, accomplishments. and hope. But that changed in 2019.

“Between the months of September 2019 and June 2020, I lost my dad, COVID hit the US, the dance community turned virtual and I badly sprained my ankle. Grief and normalcy was complex and ever persistent. My usual method for processing was compromised. And so, I fell

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into painting,” she shares.

Abstract painting gave Courtney room to explore the depths of her grief. “As I painted, I captured my thoughts and emotions around my dad’s last moments, death itself, and the chaos that loss brings emotionally. Creating lasting images also felt relieving in contrast to ephemeral dance.”

Courtney’s creative talent has not only been instrumental with processing her own grief, it has also served to unite communities. She has painted murals for schools in Washington, DC, which has shown her how art drives people to connect and support one another. “During one of my favorite projects at Whittier Elementary, I saw how the mural lit up the kids with joy and curiosity and built new positive memories among the students, staff and parents,” she recalls. “The mural’s impact extended to every person that walked or drove by the school, especially alumni who stopped to tell me how meaningful it was to see Whittier grow with this mural.I felt a bit sad when the project ended as I left the community and the magic art creates, but I know the mural is doing its job and will

continue to grow into an impactful landmark families and students to convene and build beautiful memories.”

Inspired by natural beauty, other artists, and big philosophical questions, Courtney’s creative process starts with a blank slate and a general idea. “Once I find the confidence to start, an outline gets made. At some point, I hit a critical wall that requires adopting a new perspective,” she shares. “I then have to research and take the risk of doing something different to produce the result that is needed. From there, it is smooth sailing! I know when a piece is finished based on a gut feeling. I’ve learned

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how to discern this over the years and minimize perfectionist fixation.”

Courtney is currently working on a reflective series of some of her favorite moments in time in natural landscapes. “Be on the lookout for some natural beauty and magical stories!”

See more of Courtney’s work at courtneylapenta.com/visualart.

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Art Inspired by Culture

V

isual artist William Boler recalls viewing a documentary by David Driskell, Black Art: In the Absence of Light in 2021.“This film really inspired me, even though I didn’t pick up a paint brush until years later. The exposure to artists such as Kerry James Marshall and Betye Saar uncovered a fire in me to create what was there but hidden.” Ever since 2023, William has been dedicated to his craft and enjoying the process. He considers himself a self-taught artist, and “a student of YouTube University with credits from the local libraries.”

Although still discovering his voice as an artist, the color black is often seen in William’s art.

He recalls having specific intentions on conveying a message while also creating a motif throughout his art. He read an article about an artist who discussed how the deepness and fullness of the black figure reinforced the artist’s negation of artistic convention and symbolically augmented his exaltation of the black experience. “This article really resonated with me, and I wanted to use my art to showcase the beauty and complexity of the color

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black,” William says. “So, in my works, I love to showcase black as the central theme. In all of my works, there is a balance and beauty to the abstraction and intention with each color choice and layering of mixed media, and along with all of that beauty and thought is a beautiful black form.”

William is inspired by the works of other artists, including artists of other genres. “I love films that make you think, so anything

by Stanley Kubrick. His films are so layered it often takes three or four times watching one of his movies to put together what’s going on.”

William adds that the idea that someone can be so intentional and hide things in plain sight is inspirational and challenges him with his own artistry. He also finds inspiration by listening to musicians like Frank Ocean, Solange, and Gold Link. “I love when musical artists make conceptual albums, challenge conventional radio sound and format, all while being authentic to themselves.”

Since the inception of his art career, William has found that music videos have also been

2024

a source of inspiration, as they are another conceptual vehicle for musical artists. “From barbershops on Saturday mornings, to MTV Jams in college, going over to my older cousins’ houses and even as a kid at home by myself watching 106 & Park and Rap City,” he recalls that they have always played a part in culture for him. “Growing up in the 2000s, who can forget Hype Williams and his contribution to music videos—Busta Rhymes & Janet Jackson ‘What’s It Gonna Be’— or ‘I Know What You Want’ with Mariah Carey, and Slick Rick’s ‘Behind Bars’, which appealed to my love of animation.”

William shares that his creative process begins as soon as he wakes up in the morning. “I kind of look at creativity as a state of being, and I have noticed that when I follow a ‘disciplined’

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routine throughout the day, it’s way easier for me to get in that state of creativity at night when I am painting.” Throughout this daytime routine, William doesn’t listen to music or watch films, but will perhaps listen to a sports podcast and add some pins on Pinterest. “Our brains are constantly working and solving problems and generating new ideas, so I let my mind do this subconsciously through the day, and then at night when it’s time to create, I will listen to music, watch videos, or watch movies for inspiration.”

To see more of William’s art, visit his website thesecretlifeofacrylic.com and follow him on Instagram: @thesecretlifeofacrylic.

The Abstract

Gifted

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Love of the Spirit

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Untitled 51

Primal

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artist & ad index Page 3 Baltimore Museum of Art artbma.org Page 58 William Boler thesecretlifeofacrylic.com Page 22 Amity Chan amitychan.wixsite.com/amitychan Page 13 Frieze Los Angeles frieze.com Page 230 Montressa Hammond strokeofart.org Page 50 Courtney Lapenta courtneylapenta.com/visualart Page 37 Raymond Puerini jellowillkillus.wixsite.com/rap-art C2 Rehs rehs.com C3 RoGallery auction.rogallery.com Page 44 Kadine Stephens kadinestephens.com Page 14 Brian Tolbert foreverincompleteart.com C4 Vika Visual Arts Association vikavisualarts.org | 66 | ArtDiction

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