Ron English

Allouche Gallery is pleased to present a solo show entitled Now You See It by world-renowned artist Ron English at Allouche Gallery NYC.

This new body of work continues to explore the immersive world English has perfected throughout his long evolution as painter, sculptor, street artist and pop culture provocateur. His upcoming show features a series of oil paintings inspired by English’s intricate set building, some of which will also be on display. His set pieces are made up of elements that are in part hand-sculpted, 3D printed, and produced in his POPaganda toy factory. Over the years English has crafted a complex lexicon of unique characters derived in part from nostalgic pop references, superhero comics, art history, advertising, and politics. These characters and backdrops bring us inside Delusionville—the cartoonish underbelly of American capitalist culture straight from the twisted mind of Ron himself.

The work in Now You See It features creatures such as: three-eyed rabbits, cowgirls, grinning skulls, sleepy sheep and anthropomorphic mascots of American corporate culture. The collection will also include work that reappropriates classic masterpieces, replacing the iconic figures with English’s own characters. Through this process, Ron extracts new meaning from the art we know and love.

English is both humorous and critical in his work: his Picasso inspired Guernica series continues, only this time the figures snap selfies with their smartphones. Also in his remix series: Manet’s "A Bar at the Folies-Bergere” but the barmaid is replaced by Marilyn Monroe flaunting Mickey Mouse breasts, and Da Vinci's "The Last Supper” but the figures are characters from cereal boxes. In this way, modern cultural critique weaves seamlessly into homages of art history, all the while showcasing English’s stunning use of color and oil technique.

Other elements of English's work in "Now You See It" aren't as referential. In "LSD I & II," a neon psychedelic skull shines against a black backdrop; sometimes vibrant colors and virtuosic technique are ends in and of themselves.

More often than not though, English's motivation is to invoke a larger dialogue beyond his work’s initial appeal. As such, English’s work is not limited to the canvas; widely considered the Godfather of Street Art, he has created murals and billboards across the globe that blend surrealist visuals with biting political statements. In a 2018 interview with Juxtapoz magazine, Ron shared, “I am always interested in the power of art that goes beyond commodity into conversation. And the conversation doesn’t have to be overtly political. It’s more about curiosity, about really examining concepts that we might take for granted. Especially with street art I like to take apart visual metaphors, catch-phrases or slogans because it forces the viewer to validate or invalidate things they might even subconsciously believe.” Through his risky and subversive efforts, English had inspired generations of artists while laying the groundwork for the explosion of the Pop Art movement.

One of the most prolific and recognizable artists alive today, New York-based painter, street artist and designer Ron English has bombed the global landscape with unforgettable images across all categories of culture, history and art. As a fine art painter enjoying gallery and museum representation worldwide, Mr. English is well-known for his oil technique and inventive use of color. Recent museum exhibitions include: Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum, Beyond the Streets, MOCA, Museum for Urban Contemporary Art, and more. Widely considered the Godfather of Street Art, he has created murals and billboards across the globe that blend dazzling visuals with biting political, consumerist and surrealist statements. Mr. English has also been on the vanguard of the vinyl art figure movement, releasing unique and highly coveted collectibles and continues to create thought-provoking music with his band The Rabbbits. He has designed album covers for Slash, Korn, Chris Brown and more. Publications featuring Mr. English include The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, The Miami Herald, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly, Art News, Time Magazine, Rolling Stone, Creem, Juxtapoz, Hi Fructose, Mad Magazine and many others. Motion picture/television appearances include Exit through the Gift Shop, Supersize Me, the Simpsons, Work of Art, Street Art Throwdown, CNN, BBC, Sky TV, and many others.