Greg Brickey | October 14 - November 30, 2023

Curatorial Statement

 Greg Brickey’s exhibition “Under the Thousand Stars” is one that subverts expectations, employing contradictory visual cues that challenge viewers to rethink their understanding of abstract art. Brickey focuses more on narrative ambivalence than on linear storytelling, suggesting that the human experience is not always connected by a singular string. 

While his repeated use of symbolism, painterly geometry, and fascinating compositions demand the viewer’s close attention, Brickey is less concerned with the decorative aesthetic merit of his work. He believes that he has little control over what his audience feels or experiences when viewing the work, and is content with those who find it difficult or challenging. In fact, Brickey enjoys the fact that some of his design choices have outraged viewers, which is evidence of his playful outlook despite the maturity of his work. 

As Brickey’s audience explores his abstract forest of work, the recurring visual motifs become more apparent. This adds a dimension of structure and continuity to his seemingly scattered painting style, and points out how in reality most things are multifaceted in nature. His windows, for instance, are depicted as animated, embodying not just portals, but the embodiment of paranoia itself. The subtle coiling of snakes seen in some paintings represents danger, yet snakes are celebrated for their ability to transform. Flowers radiate beauty and vibrancy on the surface but also share a dark vulnerability. But it’s in his depiction of stars, however, where the narrative takes an interesting turn. Stars, often perceived as symbols of hope, add on to the ambivalent, “two sides” narrative as they become markers of his deteriorating vision. Viewers look above and notice themselves under the tapestry of stars that share a thousand stories deeper than their brilliant appearance. 

The evolution of Brickey’s painting style—a marriage of abstract expressionism, clashing aesthetic styles, and irony—manifests a landscape that leaves viewers with a sense of wonder. The harmony of shapes, depth of colors, and surprising narrative turns in every composition does more than just communicate the possibilities of abstraction. While Brickey prefers to stay away from pushing a specific narrative, his art encourages the audience to embrace all sides, good and bad, because that is what makes the human experience so complicated and extraordinary. Brickey’s imagination flourishes under the stars, and viewers are challenged to consider how the stars take shape in their own lives.