On View: Femke Hiemstra and Casey Weldon @ Roq La Rue Gallery

On August 7th, Roq La Rue Gallery presented Femke Hiemstra's "Warten am Waldrand" and Casey Weldon's "Novel Relic". Hiemstra returns to the gallery with a new body of work, while Weldon debuts a new collection marking his first solo exhibition with the gallery. Amsterdam-based artist Femke Hiemstra continues to draw viewers into her whimsical paintings portraying a dark fairy tale, home to a variety of imaginary characters. Painter Casey Weldon uses pop culture iconography to induce a nostalgia for such references through a melancholic undertone and a witty sense of humor. Hiemstra's fairy tale land personifies inanimate objects and adds colorful personalities to animals. Her paintings often include typography, using words in different languages to enhance a sense of mystery. A dark narrative flows throughout her work, acting as a window into her peculiar world. Her collection includes found objects, such as boxes and wrappers, on which she also paints this playful scenery.

Weldon's paintings aim to bring about feelings of longing for irretrievable times. His paintings rely on pop culture to stir up these emotions for the past. With this new series of paintings, Weldon explores the duality of nature and technology while maintaining his signature secondary color palette that invigorates the visual experience for viewers.

If you're in the area, make sure to view these works in person at Roq La Rue Gallery. "Warten am Waldrand" and "Novel Relic" run through September 27th. Take a look at a few images of the pieces from both artists.

Femke Hiemstra