Some of our favorites from the current exhibition at Rowan Morrison:
This Too Shall Pass: new paintings by Deth P. Sun
"Walking Out of Crystal Caves"
36" x 36"
This one is just classic Deth. It is a great variation on the image that was painted for the promotion of the show. At 3 feet square, it is one of the largest paintings I've seen from Deth. I also love that even though the painting is large, the characters are still about the same size as the smaller works... it is just the settings that are getting more grand in scale.
"The Fight"
11" x 14"
This one has the black cat squaring off against the hero cat. Deth says that he is not setting out to create a specific narrative with these works, but clearly he is illustrating a hero's journey. I interpret this painting as the cat's battle against his darker self, his shadow. It kind of reminds me of the movie Krull.
"Turtle in Triangle"
8" x 8"
Deth used black mattes in some of the paintings for this exhibition and this one with the sea turtle is my current favorite. A few of these depict objects or characters with no scenic context, which is a change of pace for Deth and can make for some powerful images.
Deth assembled a wall of 168 small paintings. No photos can do justice of this thing. Come check it out while you can. Here are a few of our favorite small ones:
"Cat in the Forest"
7" x 5"
Deth has gotten really good at drawing forests, mountains, and ocean landscapes. I've been pleased in the past year or so to see some paintings that are exclusively landscapes. I didn't even notice the shadowy cat in this painting at first, but it only makes it better for me. At first I thought that the cat was evil, but now I think that he is more afraid of me than I am of him.
"Giant Cat Among Rocks"
7" x 5"
Rising from the sea like a goofy feline Kraken. This is just a great painting that reminds me a little of Stimpy. I also love the use of the word "Among" in the title, like these rocks are where you go to see the Giant Cat.
"Random Object 4"
5" x 5"
Working with Deth on his upcoming book, "This Too Shall Pass" (releasing Feb 13th!!!), I got a great opportunity to see what a master of drawing Deth is. His paintings rarely show his ability and proclivity to draw everyday objects with charm and delight. There are several paintings that have this sketchbook quality too them in the show, and I like this one the best because it has a 12-sided dice, a pinball game "a "Murderhorn" pinball game if I'm not mistaken), and a little tree. Nice.
"Consoling the Lonely"
5" x 7"
A lot of people connected with this painting and it was the first to sell. Very sad but comforting.
"Spaghetti Cat"
5" x 5"
This is Narangkar's favorite. Very cute and I think that cat in this one is looking a lot like a real cat rather than anthropomorphized.
"Snowy Home"
7" x 5"
This is one of my favorites. It just showcases Deth's skills at drawing architecture. The dull yellow really brings this piece to the front. Just a satisfying image to look at.
"Only You"
5" x 5"
This painting also speaks to me personally because it seems like a tribute to my own cat, Toby, who passed away in the summer of 07. Toby was all black and we were very close. No matter how many cats I share my life with, there is only one Toby
"Mountain in Circle"
5" x 5"
This is a great example of Deth's excellent recent us of landscape, stylized decoration (being the clouds above), and vignetting (the black circle) combined to make a great image that is a departure from the hero cat but still completely in line with all the other work.
"This Too Shall Pass" is up at Rowan Morrison Gallery until February 14th, with a closing reception and book release party on Friday the 13th. There are almost 200 paintings in the show and not a single one falls short. You can view most of the work online, with prices, here: http://www.rowanmorrison.com/dethshow.html. Come by (or check them out online) and let us know what your favorites are.