Hamilton Selway Presents: Louis Carreon "Church + State"
LOUIS CARREON’S NEW SOLO SHOW EXAMINES THE FAITH & AUTHORITY WE PLACE IN GOOGLE AS THE ARBITER OF TRUTH & REALITY
Hamilton Selway is proud to present Church + State, the new solo show by Louis Carreon. In over two dozen new mixed medium paintings, Carreon explores the all-consuming role of Google as the first authority we turn to for answers and the unprecedented faith we place in it to aid us. A reflection rather than a critique, the work highlights how Google has actually surpassed the institutions of church and state. This new body of work marks an evolution in technique for Carreon, painting stunning oil textures over acrylic to create some of his most visceral and arresting images to date. Carreon is currently the only living artist represented by Hamilton Selway.
“Google it.” This simple phrase impressively captures our society’s view of the search engine: it’s the ultimate resource for answering any question, the end-all authority in settling a dispute and a platform we lend unyielding faith to as the arbiter of truth and reality.
“Everyone questions God and the relevance of God,” says Carreon. “We all put our faith in Google and no one questions the state. People have always looked to something else for answers, and with Google, we listen with almost blind faith. Just think bout how you use it in your day to day life. It’s become your assistant. Your lawyer. It’s become your doctor. You can self-diagnose just by typing in symptoms in a search engine.”
In over thirty oil and mixed medium paintings, Carreon will explore these themes with his take on classic religious paintings, figurative works and a series of portraits of today’s social media-skewed youth, all with Google’s branding interwoven through the pieces. “There’s so much discussion about the rise of influencers on Instagram,” continues Carreon. “But people don’t realize that Google is actually the world’s biggest influencer.”
Church + State will be on view from July 19 - August 19, 2018, with an opening reception on Thursday, July 19 from 5pm - 9pm. Hamilton Selway is located at 678 Melrose Ave, West Hollywood, CA 9006.
About Louis Carreon
A California born contemporary artist changing the way art is perceived. Through passion, honesty, and a willingness to share his work, Louis is one of today's most influential and innovative contemporary artists. After being incarcerated in federal prison for drug related crimes, Louis found peace while illustrating his artistic road map through a cleansing of his soul and mind. That experience led to him overcoming addiction and immersing himself in art.
With a colorful past to draw on, his work is not merely modern art or street art but modernism told in a voice that drips onto the canvas ... Or the wall ... Or a jet. Having been commissioned by some of the most recognized venues throughout the United States including the SoHo House, Viper Room, to painting the Stanley Cup for the Championship team, the Chicago Blackhawks to raise money for Autism Speaks, his creations are immediately recognizable. Every stroke of the brush or the spray of the can has a story to tell. Louis' work depicts a poetry seldom seen with an emphasis on creating pieces with meaning.
Recently commissioned to paint a private 12-seater jet in collaboration with Landmark Aviation for the famed Art Basel, Louis is continually reinforcing the essential power of art. His working studio in Los Angeles, The Drip Factory, is the quintessential landscape for Louis' creations. Whether on a concrete wall somewhere in Los Angeles or the interior of a boutique hotel, Louis Carreon is an Artist that will continue to inspire.
About Hamilton Selway
Hamilton-Selway Fine Art, Inc. has thrived since being founded over 21 years as one of the largest purveyors of Pop and Contemporary Art on the West Coast. We have a simple philosophy—to provide the finest condition artwork at the best possible price points to a clientele of novice and seasoned collectors and galleries located around the world.
We have a unique niche in the art business—unlike many others in this business we have a huge inventory of fine artwork. This allows us to have control over the material being offered to clients rather than just being middlemen with a limited ability to produce offered works, as well as knowing absolutely the condition of these prints, paintings and drawings. HSFA is also one of the largest providers of Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Longo artworks (in addition to many other blue chip contemporary artists) to Galleries and Dealers around the world, and we bring that expertise and pricing to our private clients as well.