The Pull of the Sun

The Pull of the Sun (Installation View)
Claire Tabouret

Gallery:
Night Gallery

Exhibition:
The Pull of the Sun

On Display:
FEBRUARY 15 - MARCH 21, 2020

Hours:
tu-sa: 12pm - 7pm

In her second show with Night Gallery, The Pull of the Sun, Claire Tabouret shifts her gaze towards those she holds most dear. With an “obsession and need to represent the surface of a face,” Claire brings her paintings and works on paper to life. Exhibiting a mastery of color and a generosity of brush and block, she creates works which are both intimate and powerful.

Building upon neon underlay and an emotional bond, Claire builds a connection between the viewer and the sitter, and one is pulled into the life of the work. A brunette girl laces up her shoes, a pup is cradled in the arms of a blond-haired child, and a woman with fabulous blue hair looks up as if someone or something has caught her attention.

I only recently found the work of Claire Tabouret when The Pull of the Sun was listed by artnet.com as one of the top shows to see during Frieze LA. In the weeks that have followed, I have become fascinated with her work, revisiting it again and again…. Thinking of it as I play with my little ones, speak with a friend, or take the time to really engage with my day. Each time I do, the moment gets a bit brighter. I am reminded of the beauty in the mundane, and I thank Claire Tabouret for teaching me once more to see it.

Contrasting this exhibition, Claire’s previous bodies of work have pulled inspiration from found photos. While wondering what has caused this shift in subject, I realized how the empathy that comes from painting whom and what you love creates a bold richness and connection between not only the artist and subject, but also the viewer. We begin to feel we love those painted as well, and we take the time to see those in our own lives with more compassion and presence.

The Pull of the Sun