Jon Key

Steve Turner is pleased to present Second Goodbyes, a solo exhibition by Jon Key that features new paintings, textiles and a silk screened wallpaper installation. Key continues to expand his world of contorted figures in violet plaid and polka dot against contrasting fields of black, red and green to explore issues relating to family, home, identity and friendship. The works depict portraits of friends overlapping and posing for the last photos of the night. Key flattens the figures and distorts the perspective to depict his favorite moments hosting friends. According to the artist, “By the end of the night, acquaintances and colleagues have left. Only a few chosen friends remain. This is when I can finally relax. One last drink, one last photo, one more hug, one more smile, the bittersweet end of a tender time.”

Jon Key (b. 1990, Seale, Alabama) earned a BFA at Rhode Island School of Design (2013) before moving to Brooklyn where he began developing his studio and design practices. He has had solo and two-person exhibitions at Carl Freedman Gallery, Margate (2022); Steve Turner, Los Angeles (2019, 2020, 2021 & 2022); Rubber Factory, New York (2019) and The Armory Show, New York (2020).

Second Goodbyes is the first of three exhibitions that Steve Turner will present in New York this Spring at High Line Nine Galleries