Reginald Sylvester II

For its inaugural exhibition, Maximillian William is thrilled to present Nemesis, a new series of paintings by American artist Reginald Sylvester II. In conjunction with the opening of the gallery’s first permanent space, this exhibition marks the artist’s debut solo presentation in London.

Abandoning his more figurative compositions, which dominated his earlier work, this show displays Sylvester II’s gradual transition towards pure abstraction. Characterized by a constellation of expressive brushwork, Sylvester II delves into the universal truths and struggles that infiltrate the human psyche. This series, entitled “Soul vs Flesh” is anchored by scriptures of Galatians 5:16-21 KJV, which speaks of the battlefield and contradictory nature between the notions of Soul and Flesh - where the Soul signifies the pure and holy, while the Flesh indicates a gratification of passion and desire with the unwillingness to submit to God’s authority. Paradoxically, the soul is lodged deep within the flesh and one does not exist without the other.

Echoing the readings of the scriptures that dominate Sylvester II’s oeuvre, the works unveil the artist’s unconscious, where his compulsions and fears towards a menacing future are materialized in a tender yet ferocious manner. While areas of his mark making loosely delineate corporeal sensations such as limbs (swinging arms, legs, torsos, and buttocks), others symbolize the materialization of the spirit fighting against the body’s yearn for lust of money, drugs, alcohol, power, etc. It is through the fleshiness of the medium that the artist tackles and manages his battling feelings and attitudes towards notions of soul and flesh. In doing so, the paintings reveal universal considerations towards the state of the world at large, particularly with regards to racial conditions which have permeated the psyches of many.

The paintings in Nemesis point to the fragility of the human existence, whose hyper-consciousness is provoked by its bad conscience. Transmitting raw emotion through his work, the artist offers insight into the relationship vis-à-vis the artist’s creative process and its cathartic role.

The show is accompanied by an exhibition catalogue including a text written by Michele Robecchi.

Maximillian William states "I am extremely proud to be inaugurating my first space with Reginald’s exhibition, the artist who I started this journey with."

Reginald Sylvester II was born in Jacksonville (North Carolina) in 1987 and currently works and lives in New York City. He was raised in Oakland, California and later attended the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, studying graphic design. Sylvester II has had numerous international solo exhibitions presented by Maximillian William in Italy, New York and Tokyo. Selected solo exhibitions include, The Rise and Fall of a People (Fondazione Stelline, Milan 2017), Premonition (The Lever House Art Collection, New York 2017) and Reaching for Heaven (Pace Prints, New York 2016). Collections include La Collezione Olgiati, Lugano, Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Wolverhampton, La Fondazione Stelline, Milan and The Lever House Art Collection, New York.

Maximillian William began as a nomadic gallery, presenting its first exhibition in 2015. Since its inception, the gallery’s program has flourished through organizing and curating shows for its artists via collaborations with leading international galleries and institutions. This model facilitated the means to build a stable that reflected the gallery’s ethos of supporting and presenting art being made today. Having always understood the importance of a gallery space, as well as the dialogues created and distributed within, Maximillian William is delighted to open its permanent space in the heart of London in the fall of 2019. Forthcoming exhibitions will include the first solo show in London of Somaya Critchlow’s work, as well as a group show featuring Philip Guston and how the idea of “Role Play” has influenced a new generation of artists. Other shows will include solo exhibitions by Magda Skupinska and Coco Capitán.