Painting Pictures

The Hole is proud to present our first solo exhibition by Brooklyn-based artist James Ulmer. Color block paintings of his unique world have been featured in many of our group exhibitions in past. For the first time now we devote our full attention to this intriguing artist. With a concurrent solo show at Marvin Gardens in Brooklyn and a newly released book, this is a chance for us to get to know James Ulmer’s work in depth. With notes of pop and improvisational energy, Ulmer's paintings of people, animals, fruit bowls and landscapes are sure to please. They have a rudimentary vocabulary that is simple and universal, and an economy of form that cuts away the excess and exposes the root. They have the detachment of Donald Baechler or Baldessari, the "wrongness" of Japanese punk styles, and a hint of inspiration from John Wesley in the repeated forms and comic orientation. Certainly the boxy figures, like the above, evoke both children's toys and high fashion. Blending childlike elements and sophisticated, minimalist restraint, the paintings have an interesting resonance and style not easy to place. With fourteen paintings and twenty works on paper, we can see Ulmer's ideas take shape through the interaction between line and shape, outline and fill. Ulmer has shown with Carl Kostyal and V1 Gallery, Jeffrey Deitch and The Pit, and recently completed a residency in London with PM/AM. His next solo show will be with V1 gallery in January 2022.