Here, we ask an artist to frame the essential details behind one of their latest works.
Bio: Evan Paul English, 33, Brooklyn (@evanpaulenglish)
Title of work: Viewfound (Unentangled 2), 2023.
Where to see it: “Un/entangled” at Distortion Society (172 Main Street, Beacon, New York) until July 30.
Three words to describe it: Nostalgic, reclamatory, playful.
What was on your mind at the time: Combining the past and the present, the domestic and the public, and the heteronormative and the queer. My work is often about the tension of oppositions that live within queer bodies.
An interesting feature that’s not immediately noticeable: The painting started as a line map with two superimposed images. The trick is figuring out the image that isn’t floral. I like to camouflage images with darker themes into delightful florals—hidden in plain sight.
How it reflects your practice as a whole: My extensive collection of vintage American floral fabrics is the basis of exploration in my practice. My visual language continues to expand as I analyze, dissect, layer, and excavate this trope of American domestic life.
One song that captures its essence: If Patsy Cline had some sort of dream-pop remix, it would probably be that.
