Viewfound
Salt Gallery

Salt Gallery is pleased to present VIEWFOUND, a solo exhibition of Brooklyn-based artist Evan Paul English. The show presents eight brand new works that translate American vintage floral designs into paintings and explore relationships between gender, class, sexuality, and the effect of growing up queer in America.

By using a small viewfinder, English finds compelling compositions within the fabrics he collects and enlarges them to various sized abstract paintings. Through this distortion, enlargement, visual and spatial immersion he creates a new experience out of a familiar motif and makes space for contemplation and revelation. “I have this very specific memory of looking closely at some bedding I had when I was a kid and seeing the color separation and thinking how it was so cool that all of these small abstract shapes made a big, elaborate floral design when put together.”

VIEWFOUND further develops English’s view of textiles as an artifact of our culture that represents ideas of the American dream, domesticity, and gender roles. Using the materials he collects as visual language also informs English’s practice as a tattoo artist. Through this practice, he recontextualizes the imagery to create a new experience with something very familiar.

VIEWFOUND will also feature floral installations by Zoie Brown, live music composed and performed by Noah Wood, contemporary dance performances by Jack Blackmon, and some additional surprises by Evan Paul English.

About the Artist

Evan Paul English is an interdisciplinary artist working and residing in Brooklyn, New York. His work ranges from painting, mixed media sculpture, murals, wallpaper, and tattoo art. The main component of his practice is collecting objects from the streets and from vintage and thrift stores. Using found materials to create readymade sculptures and paintings he explores relationships between gender, class, sexuality, and the effect of growing up queer in America. He investigates the ways in which culture shapes our self-understanding, and utilizes decorative motifs to subvert stereotypes and to ask deeper questions about our own gender narratives. His interest in identity and self-reclamation has gone on to inspire his work as a tattoo artist. He co-owns Yarrow Studio, an appointment-only tattoo studio located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

English most recently completed a monumental mural at the New York City TikTok headquarters. He was an Artist Fellow at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art and participated in the 2020 edition of the SPRING/BREAK Art Show in New York City. He also exhibited work at Fridman Gallery.

For more information about Evan visit his website or follow him on Instagram.