Philip Martin Gallery presents a solo exhibition of new paintings by Holly Coulis. There will be a reception for the artist Saturday, May 4 from 6-8pm.
Holly Coulis's paintings operate as stages where still life scenes unfold. A table, or tables, create an initial structure where simplified, geometric forms are arranged and interact. There is a sense of order in these scenes as though the fruits and dishes had been laid out by some external force. Through layers of paint, linear elements are created, giving the illusion of colorful stripes or energy fields around individual objects. These works feel familiar, but upend our sense of figure/ground, horizon-line, perspective, and scale. In these newest paintings, the still life begins to verge into abstraction.
Coulis works from a visual vocabulary built up over years of practice, and the sense of discovery and newness in her works occurs as she continues to explore her own paintings and their possibilities: “I rarely look at a scene. It’s more about shapes of things I know. Things like oranges, lemons, cherries: they’re all very easy shapes.” Standing in front of her works, we are immediately involved in a scene of pleasure and abundance, surprise and stimulation - a stimulation that is physical, intellectual and aesthetic.
Holly Coulis (b. 1968, Toronto, Canada) received her BFA in Fine Arts in 1995 from Ontario College of Art and Design (Toronto, ON) and her MFA in Fine Arts in 1998 from School of the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, MA). Holly Coulis has had solo exhibitions in Europe and North America including Philip Martin Gallery (formerly Cherry and Martin, Los Angeles, CA 2017, 2015, 2012, 2008, 2006); Klaus Von Nichtssagend Gallery (New York, NY); Simon Lee Gallery: Viewing Room (London, UK); Cooper Cole Gallery (Toronto, ON); SOCO Gallery (Charlotte, NC). Her work has been included in group exhibitions at Jack Hanley Gallery (New York, NY), Rental Gallery (East Hampton, NY); Atlanta Contemporary Art Center (Atlanta, GA); Anna Marra Contemporeana (Rome, Italy); El Museo de los Pintores Oaxaqueños (Oaxaca, Mexico); and Galleria d'Art Moderna (Milan, Italy). Her work has been reviewed in Artforum, Art in America, Artnet, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, New Yorker, Brooklyn Rail and other publications. She lives and works in Athens, GA.
Philip Martin Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11am-6pm and by appointment. For further information and images please contact the gallery at +310-559-0100 or info@philipmartingallery.com.
Philip Martin Gallery
2712 S. La Cienega Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90034
+310-559-0100
info@philipmartingallery.com
