Drawing from many areas of study, painter Josh Tiessen will show a series of 23 paintings and concept drawings at Rehs Contemporary Galleries in New York beginning in late April. Developed over a three-year period, the works in Vanitas and Viriditasdeal with humanity's relationship with the earth and animals, and the dichotomy of two figures as symbolism: Qohelet (Hebrew for teacher) and Sophia (Greek for wisdom). Between them, Tiessen teases out age-old conundrums that still speak to the challenges of today.
All Creatures Lament, oil on panel, 26 x 26"
“Qohelet (a male figure in a wide brimmed hat) represents the vanitas paintings, drawing on the 17th century Dutch still life tradition where life is fleeting and temporary,” Tiessen explains. “This character deconstructs ideas behind science, technology and modern idols. There’s also a nihilistic element but there’s a sense of ‘maybe there is wisdom.’ The Sophie character, or Lady Wisdom (a female figure), is seen in the viriditas paintings (viriditas in Latin meaning vitality and growth), often accompanied by animal companions. In these works, it’s about cultivating humility, wonder and awe for the natural world, and being in tune with season. It’s about delighting and rejoicing in the creation of the natural world.”
Swallowed by Knowledge, oil on panel, 30 x 40"
In show painting Alpha and Omega, we see these characters come together. The work shows Qohelet looking out toward Sophia, standing among a black sand Japanese rock garden. “The black sand symbolically represents that things are temporary and fleeting,” says Tiessen. “Qohelet has been on his quest of searching for the meaning of life and here comes Sophia. She’s holding a little sapling tree—a symbol for the tree of life—bringing it into this barren world. Qohelet isn’t escaping this landscape but this paradise world, seen through the portal, is invading his world.”
Alpha and Omega, oil on braced panel, 31 x 47"
Imagination and reading are important to Tiessen’s work, and inform his unique style which he calls “narrative hyper-surrealism.” Also important, is the unique shape of many of his pieces—in contrast to the typical rectangular format of most paintings. “I’ve been painting shaped works for quite a few years and draw on both tradition of iconography and modern art with the abstract color field painters of the 1950s,” Tiessen says. “The vanitas paintings are more angular, pointed and a bit more mathematical, while Sophia’s paintings have shapes that are biomorphic, showing the whimsical shape of nature. A lot of my art is informed by nature, and rectangle and square are not natural shapes that we find in ecology and biology.”
For works like The Kairos Stones,showing Sophia walking through a Stonehenge-like landscape with a horse, Tiessen chose two amorphous shapes for his canvas. In addition, the painting touches on themes of time, or Kairos (an ancient Greek word), taken from a story in the bible. “Kairos time is a decisive moment of time where past present and future are one,” Tiessen shares. This, of course, also lends itself to the many theories behind the creation of Stonehenge.
The Kairos Stones, oil on panel, 18 x 40"
Works such as Swallowed by Knowledge, are created on a traditional rectangular surface. We see Qohelet reading, surrounded by a pile of books in the rib cage of a sperm whale. “This is one of my favorites,” Tiessen remarks, “and it's about the pursuit of reading. I incorporated books from philosophy, science and politics. It’s important to pursue these disciplines, but with so many facts, figures and information, how do we navigate through? The idea is that we can get lost in our books.”
Tiessen continues, “I hope collectors come with their own interpretations and I want to provide hope navigating the complex social issues we now found ourselves in. Art can have relevance for dealing with these [challenges].” The show will run from April 28 through May 26, with musical accompaniment by Tiessen’s brother for the opening day. —
Rehs Contemporary Galleries
20 W. 55th Street, 5th Floor • New York, NY 10019
(212) 355-5710 • www.rehscgi.com
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