Andy Robert Mines Harlem’s Collective History With His Layered, Nuanced Paintings—See Them Here

Show of the Day: "Lakou: One Two Five" at Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles.

Installation view of Andy Robert, Check II Check (2017). Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photography by Veli-Matti Hoikka.

ANDY ROBERT

LAKOU: One Two Five
Hannah Hoffman Gallery in Los Angeles

What the Gallery Says“All of these artworks had one thing in common, deconstructive layers operating both in time and space, inside and outside. In a sense, Robert’s paintings were acquiring the materiality of lakou—a Creole word used to designate a self-regulated type of property deeply ingrained in Haitian culture and able to encompass a variety of meanings and uses… Even though the topics related to Robert’s paintings are linked to his biography, his intentions are not expressive or emotional, but a reflection about how painting preserves its autonomy in a metaphysical way and links to the idea of place and inheritance through the relationship between the viewer and the work.”

Why It’s Worth a Look: The individual canvases are like small tiles that taken as a whole, create a layered mosaic capturing fragmented impressions of Harlem; the show’s title, “One Two Five,” is a nod to the storied New York neighborhood’s street coordinates.

What It Looks Like: 

Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photography by Veli-Matti Hoikka.

Installation view of Andy Robert at Hannah Hoffman. Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photography by Veli-Matti Hoikka.

Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photography by Veli-Matti Hoikka.

Installation view of Andy Robert at Hannah Hoffman. Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photography by Veli-Matti Hoikka.

Andy Robert's <i>Thelma Golden</i> (2017). Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, LA. Photo: Veli-Matti Hoikka.

Andy Robert’s Thelma Golden (2017). Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photography by Veli-Matti Hoikka.

 

Andy Robert’s Police and Thieves (2017). Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photography by Veli-Matti Hoikka.

Andy Robert's <i>Breaking News</i> (2017). Courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman Gallery, Los Angeles.

Andy Robert’s Breaking News (2017). Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photography by Veli-Matti Hoikka.

Andy Robert's <i>Remembering Ken: Kenneth P. Thompson (1966–2016) </i> (2017). Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, LA. Photo: Veli-Matti Hoikka.

Andy Robert’s Remembering Ken: Kenneth P. Thompson (1966–2016) (2017). Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photography by Veli-Matti Hoikka.

Andy Robert’s Anacaona (2017). Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photography by Veli-Matti Hoikka.

Andy Robert’s Cross Country D (2017). Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photography by Veli-Matti Hoikka.

"Installation

Images courtesy of the artist and Hannah Hoffman, Los Angeles. Photography by Veli-Matti Hoikka.

“Lakou: One Two Five” is on view through February 17, 2018.

Hannah Hoffman Gallery is at 1010 N Highland Avenue, Los Angeles.


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