Stella Im Hultberg's Memento Mori gallery show in LA

One of my favorite painters, Brooklyn artist Stella Im Hultberg, has a solo show of new work opening Friday, July 10, at Thinkspace Gallery in Los Angeles. Along with work on paper, canvas, and wood panel, she's also showing a series of small painted wood figures. Seen here, "Penumbra" (oil on canvas, 12" x 14"). The works in the exhibition, titled Memento Mori, are also viewable online. Memento Mori

Previously:

David Pescovitz is Boing Boing's co-editor/managing partner. He's also a research director at Institute for the Future. On Instagram, he's @pesco.

MORE: Art and Design

More at Boing Boing

Eurovision 2013: An American in London

The technology that links taxonomy and Star Trek

Sekino

Well, I think it’s pretty, so please don’t stop posting about the ‘pseudo-neo-pop-modern-surrealists’(whatever) David ;)

I did somewhat prefer the earlier (2006) pieces, but it’s mainly because it had more illustrative linework (as opposed to ‘painterly’) feel that I personally enjoy. Good stuff, though.
Piers W

The English made fine tipped pen placed upon a goose feather and the unworn gloves are mightier than my yawn.
melded

i also see the klimt influence, but he’s a good influence to have
TheGorch

I’m really glad that BoingBoing generally seeks to promote artwork and in turn artist shows and galleries, but I do have to agree with the above poster. I’m sure the paintings look nicer in person, but holy poop that is some vacuous imagery.
Anonymous

I still think it looks like Sol, Kawasaki et al. Just with a thicker application of paint.

The redundancy of these ‘Lowbrow’ ‘Pop Surrealists’ is REALLY starting to bum my trip….
David Pescovitz

Sorry you two feel that way. Obviously I strongly disagree. Who are some emerging contemporary painters that you like?
Anonymous

It’s a pop take on Klimt and other “decadent” Viennese artists of the early 20th C. Nice.
Anonymous

After reading a majority of these comments I am struck by how easy it is to voice one’s opinion from the sidelines. Has anyone driven by the gallery lately and seen Stella in there for over a week painting the walls and installing her artwork, or been there for the years she has invested in persevering despite the many armchair critics debating the validity of her artwork. Why is it so difficult to applaud the hard work involved and yet so easy for those non-artists to tear one down.. what have you created lately other than bombast?
Davin

For a while, Stella’s work was very much aligned with the rest of the east/west mix pop surrealists (like Sol and Kawasaki), but it’s getting much more distinct. Glad to see more of her stuff. There’s lots of texture in these pieces.
thequickbrownfox

That’s some cool kinda Parmigianino-type elongation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parmigianino
Anonymous

@28- great post. i totally agree

oh, i thought this was a very strong show by stella. all the pieces look even better in person.
Anonymous

I think we get hung up on the stylistic and thematic similarities between one artist and another because we have an unprecedented access to the images through the interweb. The more examples you see, the easier it is to make the comparisons. But, then again, so much of the Low Brow art reminds me of mid-sixteenth century Mannerism because of the ubiquity of the big eyes and elongated anatomy. It’s just Margaret Keane, as #16 said as opposed to Michaelangelo. Eventually, the reaction to the waif look will result in paintings of overweight girls with tiny eyes. Come to think of it, I’ve seen that already in Hi Frutose.
TheGorch

@25

Look, no one ever said that she wasn’t working hard, that it’s easy to put up a show, or that it’s easy to create a painting. Whether positive or negative, you’re still a critic if you talk about artwork, armchair notwithstanding. Assuming that we in the do-not-like camp aren’t artists is also premature. Even if I was not an artist (debatable whether or not I am, but let’s call me one for now) my opinion as a commenter shouldn’t be invalidated given it’s critical standpoint just because you happen to like the work. As far as my only creation being “bombast,” I’d be happy to send you some jpgs of my current work, and I won’t even expect praise.
Piers W

Vali’s drawings possess a texture unto themselves. They are a product of Vali’s intense dedication to her art. Her materials consist of an English made fine tip nib placed upon a goose feather, Italian hand made paper, gold leaf and carefully diluted Chinese inks.

Yawn.

Stuff above is just as good.
TheGorch

Ahh, nimium diligentem esse.
TheGorch

Some favorites:

Emerging:
Michael Ciervo
Kristine Moran
Magnus Plessen
Gregory Brellochs
Karen Kilimnik
Ben Peterson
Sebastian Bieniek

Not quite emerging:
Marlene Dumas
Neo Rauch (IMO best painter alive)
Odd Nerdrum
Luc Tuymans
Wilhelm Sasnal
Tomma Abst
Eberhard Havekost
Elizabeth Peyton
Trenton Doyle Hancock
Vik Muniz
Nicola Verlato

To name just a few. People like what they like, I guess.
fuzzheadgha

This work reminds me very much of turn-of-the-century Austrian artists such as Gustav Klimt and his protÃ©gÃ© Egon Schiele.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustav_Klimt
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egon_Schiele
David Pescovitz

FUZZHEADGHA @10, Totally. When I posted about Stella in 2006, I wrote that “Her beautiful work makes me think of Egon Schiele and Ralph Steadman meeting in one of Aubrey Beardsley’s absinthe dreams.”

DorothyHaskin @5, I think you’re confused. I was simply asking for suggestions of painters I might dig who are still living and haven’t become “big names” yet. If you think that Boing Boing’s interest in art is all about “some sort of strict wine and cheese gallery ‘scene’” you must not read our site very often.
arkizzle / Moderator

Fight! Fight! Fight!
Anonymous

I really like her new work, its great to see her progressing and distinguishing herself more, as @4 said from Sol, Kawasaki et al
Takuan

http://users.snowcrest.net/donnelly/piglatin.html
buddy66

When emerging Cro-Magnon painter Oog unveiled his latest wall painting at Lascaux, it was greeted with ”oohs” and ”aahs” for the most part, but there was also the occasional sigh and at least one loud, heartfelt groan.

But all agreed the aurochs cheese and iceberry wine were good.
Anonymous

Do you think the problem is that they use the same imagery? If you removed the succulent girl language, and let their media and ideas stand apart, I think you’d see that they all are vastly different.

-etb
ericthomasbostrom.com
TheGorch

“But all agreed the aurochs cheese and iceberry wine were good.”

I’ll keep my Kraft Brie, Terra chips, and Yellow Tail, thank you very much!
Antinous / Moderator

Dorothy,

De gustibus

&

Verbum sat