Devon DeJardin

UTA Artist Space is pleased to present In the Shadows, a new exhibition by the Portland-born, Los Angeles-based self-taught multimedia artist, Devon DeJardin. Drawing from biblical stories surrounding temptation, DeJardin’s newest large-scale paintings, sculptures, and mixed media works explore the complexities of human desire and the consequences of our actions, through a host of themes such as temptation, rebellion, forgiveness, and redemption.

In his adolescent years, DeJardin found refuge in painting and education after suffering from severe anxiety and depression. At university, he studied spiritual traditions from around the world and built a formative foundation of knowledge, philosophy, and a thirst for self-discovery that became the catalyst for exploring these themes through painting. Inspired by the emotional, muscular abstraction of Picasso, Nevelson, Duchamp, and Krasner, DeJardin knew he wanted to draw from both common histories and the lived experience in his artistic practice.

DeJardin’s newest series is an evolution of the work for which he is currently known, which references the body, forces of nature, and philosophy, through geometry and architectural forms. The exhibition at UTA Artist Space is informed by the complexity of human emotion and the struggle to find meaning and purpose in a world filled with temptation and challenges – feelings that all humans experience and have been told through symbolic stories in history. The new large-scale paintings present abstract biblical narratives, such as the Garden of Eden and the Prodigal Son, and portray the beauty and danger of temptation, as well as the journey from recklessness to redemption. Through this new series of intricate paintings, sculptures, and mixed media works, DeJardin invites viewers to reflect on their own actions and the impact they have on their lives and the lives of those around them.

Unveiling a fresh perspective on these traditional tales, DeJardin says, "I wanted to create a body of work that explores the themes of temptation, consequences of our actions, and how these concepts have been explored throughout history. These theological stories offer a powerful allegory for our own struggles with temptation and the human journey. I hope that my work will challenge viewers to reflect on their own lived experiences surrounding these topics.”

“We are eager to showcase Devon DeJardin’s newest body of work," says UTA Artist Space. "With a studio practice based in Los Angeles, we’ve been able to see his work evolve and develop throughout his multi-faceted career. The new paintings and drawings are captivating and offer a unique narrative and point of view that we look forward to presenting to our UTA community and gallery visitors this summer.”

Devon DeJardin (b. 1993) is a self-taught, multimedia artist from Portland, Oregon currently working out of Los Angeles, Ca. In his adolescent years DeJardin suffered from severe depression and anxiety, finding refuge in painting. DeJardin uses art — and art history — to understand the world and his place in it. With a background studying spiritual traditions from around the world, and an appreciation for the emotional, muscular abstraction of Picasso, Nevelson, Duchamp, Krasner, DeJardin’s paintings, drawings, and sculpture reference the body, forces of nature, and the application of philosophy to lived experience. With a sense of geometry that is both architectural and organic, and a refined palette that highlights the life of the mind, DeJardin muses on strength, fragility, control, and surrender. DeJardin’s work, for now, focuses on guardians – on entities and forces that protect us, guide us, and challenge us to grow. But often, our real life ‘guardians’ come in forms we don’t recognize: challenges that force us to learn new skills, losses that teach us emotional resilience, crises that show us our inner strength.