LINDSAY KENNEDY // relaxo patio

On view January 6–February 1, 2016
Opening reception Sunday, January 10 (1–4 p.m.)

It's an all-expense paid vacation to some sun-drenched paradise.
—James "Sonny" Crockett, Miami Vice

Like the caviar dreams of gold chains and naked curvy physiques found in hip hop songs, artist Lindsay Kennedy’s third solo exhibition at Nationale, Relaxo Patio, provides a temporary respite from Portland’s weary winter through the myriad delights of Miami, Florida. Her minimalist compositions offer a contemporary reimagining of painter David Hockney’s scenes of Los Angeles swimming pools from the mid-60s. However, instead of stodgy Beverly Hills diving boards and chaise lounges, she evokes a sultrier, more luxurious lifestyle of cocktails at the Versace mansion, courtside tickets to the Heat, and bronzed beauties on a yacht.

Kennedy achieves this transportive effect through the use of two distinct painting styles. While always drenched in the downy pastels of polyester leisure suits and ocean-side sunsets, her compositions oscillate between more informed and more instinctual approaches. Within the former aesthetic, meticulously applied brushstrokes and layered gradations of color create a hypnotic illusion of depth and texture. Geometric forms float upon the background like dreamscapes, harkening to the emotive sparseness of Agnes Martin. In opposition to this meditative feel, Kennedy’s other works reveal a looser style wherein thick blobs of paint and colorful squiggles capture both the movements of Cuban dance and the spirited curves of tropical foliage. As a whole, Kennedy’s dynamic work deftly reflects the changing rhythms—from languid beach days to feverish club nights—that make Miami a haven for those looking to escape.

BIO
Lindsay Kennedy lives and works in Portland, Oregon. She received her BFA from the Pacific Northwest College of Art in 2009. Her work was previously shown at Nationale, New American Art Union, Compound Gallery, Portland Center Stage, and PNCA in 2010 for Perspectives on Non-Objective, Abstract, Experimental Painting and 2013 for Pop Without Pop. While Kennedy focuses on painting, her work represents a hybridization of multiple mediums and multiple meanings.

PRESS
Lindsay Kennedy featured on Women Artists

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