Geometric Abstraction by David Paul Kay at Fremin Gallery NYC (2023)
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As I walk inside Fremin gallery I’m greeted by a warm tingly feeling on my lips. This time, it’s not because I’ve over done it on the lip plumping gloss. It’s because I’ve just locked eyes with the geometric works of David Paul Kay.
Two masculine figures with perfectly chiselled faces, The squiggly lines that make their way off the canvas and onto the sides of my face. Up close, the lines that make up Paul-Kays works seem really simple, until you pan out and see a wholeness these simple lines turn into a fully realised painting.
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I’m adamant the subconscious of the viewer decides what it final image it wants to see. In the larger works, different parts of the different people become focal points. For me: It’s the the jawline to the back of the neck moving the story along in this image. The geometric outlines become lay-lines of lust around the bodies. The empty space of black making the jawline makes me remember that clicking sound I remember hearing when I used to kiss boys. I won’t decide if the subject on the right is leaning in for that kiss or a slightly hesitant embrace. Im adamant the subconscious of the viewer decides what it final image it wants to see. It’s an optical illusion
I want to kiss someone.
Trying not get distracted by this I make my way around the rest of the Paul Kays exhibit in the first room at Fremin.
A wall of post card sized frames brings an element of fun into the space. These little frames capture many things I think David wants to tell us about himself — signature abstract shapes are there of course. Some look like meteorites from different universes. Some are kinda like rock people. As I make my way way through the 50 or so little moments with David I realise he’s got jokes too. My favourite one of these is a sketch on a Starbucks napkin — I walk away from this installation satisfied, feeling like I’ve just had a coffee and some laughs with David.
