Casey Weldon's "Catchall" at RECESS
People's Printshop artist Casey Weldon currently has an outstanding solo exhibition entitled, "Catchall," on view at San Francisco's newest gallery, RECESS.
Rendering light and neon colors with striking,
fantastical comprehension, Weldon’s paintings appear uncannily backlit and digitally enhanced. Having spent many formative years in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Weldon’s vivid dreamscapes recall not only the flashy visuals and super-saturated displays throughout Hollywood and the Vegas Strip but also the adoration and adulation of our media-driven consumer culture. His surreal narratives, each distinctively luminous and visually unsettling, offer satirical commentary on our digital age and its exponentially absurd power over our everyday lives - all through imagery of the digital age’s most beloved icon: the cat.
Humanized by culturally sensational “internet cat” characters (represented both directly and figuratively) his works are, essentially, visual puns. They aim to provoke dialogue about grand current issues - war, surveillance, digital consumerism, social interactivity - punctuated by heartwarming cat references to help viewers find familiar comfort in these uncomfortable issues. Weldon’s feline-driven punchlines alleviate the detachment we all feel in our digital age of inescapable voyeurism, media saturation, and immediate consumerism.
In addition to these punny panels, Weldon has also added a new set of characters to his ongoing cast of musically-inspired “Love Cats” - just in time for Valentine’s Day. Despite its name, this series asserts coarse, belligerent messages; while some are soft and sweet (“Something Happens and I’m Head Over Heels” inspired by Tears for Fears, “When You’re Standing Oh So Near, I Kinda Lose My Mind” inspired by The Cars) most others are downright vicious (“I Want Your Soul, I Will Eat Your Soul” inspired by Aphex Twin, “Fuck You, I Won’t Do What You Tell Me” inspired by Rage Against the Machine.) They are screams of anarchy, defiance, and disappointment more than they are tidings of love and affection - both a fun, edgy inversion of stereotypical Hallmark drivel as well as a pointed reflection of contemporary views on love and Valentine’s Day.
Take a look at the preview below:
