Artists to watch | Hilary Pecis

A bowl of lemons. A half-finished bottle of Bordeaux. Stacks and stacks (and stacks) of art books. These are just some of the everyday, banal objects that LA-based painter Hilary Pecis transforms into radiant works of art. I was lucky enough to see her recent show “Piecemeal Rhythm” at @timothytaylorgallery London, and it was truly the highlight of my trip.⁠

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In my eyes, there are two distinct sides to Pecis’s work. From a distance, her paintings read like pristine and quiet still lifes, capturing her everyday surroundings in Los Angeles. But as you move in closer, her vibrant (almost fauvist) palette takes command, and her works transform into explosions of color and expressive brushwork. Amazingly, these seemingly contrasting elements of peaceful calm and vibrant energy sing together in perfect harmony. Viewing her work is truly an experience, transporting the viewer from one emotion to another. Pecis is like a modern-day Matisse or Hockney, taking on color as her artistic weapon of choice.⁠
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There’s also a sense of coziness that draws you into Pecis’s work, like a warm fireplace on a snowy evening. Her use of rich reds paired with sparks of greens, yellows, and blues brings each work together like a crackling fire. No matter where you live, Pecis’s interiors somehow manage to feel like home. Curator Helen Molesworth sums up this feeling beautify, saying, “There are mornings when shit is really rough... But even then I can still walk into my living room, see the light hitting something in a certain way and I can think, ‘That is so beautiful.’ There’s something like that in Pecis’s work and it’s very powerful.”⁠

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I’m Jack (aka @museum.addict), the newest member of the Baer Faxt team. Every week I’ll be sharing in-depth articles about the art world, from the hottest emerging artists to my favorite museum exhibitions around the world. Today’s post will be the first in our series of #Shows2See, where I’ll walk you through some of the most exciting gallery and museum shows this year. I’ll also be sharing new posts about #Artists2Watch and #Masterpieces2Know, so look out for those in the coming days. Stay tuned!
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