One month after his one night show at Kinfolk’s new 94Wythe space in NYC, for which he painted 72 different 12 x 12″ pieces, Sam Friedman opened his solo at the Library Street Collective in Detroit. Titled Easy, the show opened on the 10th of May and featured a new body of work by the young abstract painter. Continuing his ongoing series of works created by using bright colors, the new pieces depict vibrant flora and tropical sunsets. The compelling feel of these imaginary getaways invites the viewer to sit back, relax and take it easy.
The paintings are built by layering bright colors, gradients, precise line work and loose forms, which result in very complex images, both visually and texture wise. While purely abstract, the elements of flora, water surfaces and reflections can be found and recognized inside his paintings. When compared to his larger works, his smaller 12 x 12′ images feel like Polaroid or Instagram snapshots of his fantastical landscapes – some showing macro images of flowers, within which other familiar forms are incorporated, while some show wide angle shots of Friedman’s visual reality. This is often emphasized by painting on wide formats, or by building a single work from multiple canvases. The use of warm colors (pinks, oranges and red) juxtaposed on bright blue or turquoise, give his works this warm, calming feeling which contrasts his chaotic, unpredictive, yet recognizable visual language.
Photo credit: Sal Rodriguez.
Discuss Sam Friendman here.
