Jason Wheatley: Language of the Birds
I dabble in the absurd and make it accessible and beautiful at the same time... I want people to feel like they have stumbled onto a riddle. They don't have to figure it out, just know that something is taking place. -Jason Wheatley
Jason Wheatley’s exhibition, Language of the Birds, features dreamlike still life paintings that explore the relationship between fantastical ideas and recognizable imagery. Embracing the illustrative style of John James Audubon’s famed “Birds of America” series, Wheatley deploys realist and absurdist sensibilities in each still life. Filled with metaphor and riddles, his canvases demonstrate a contemporary sense of whimsey, wit, and folly. Painted both from memory and life, these classically rendered oil paintings are filled with delightful oddities and an element of surprise.