Last week, we shared an intimate conversation and studio visit with San Francisco-based painter Emilio Villalba, on the eve of his new solo show, Besides, at Hashimoto Contemporary in SF. Today we have a full preview of the exhibition, which opens October 1st in the Bay Area. 

Returning to the gallery for his second solo presentation, Villalba’s latest work further abstracts the subject in textured, energetic marks. The rich surfaces of the paintings are imbued with a sense of spontaneity and movement. Focussing on the character of the people and everyday scenes around him rather than a representational image, the thickly applied paint evokes a sense of succinct intimacy.

The works on canvas range from intimate portraits to collage-like stream of consciousness still lives. Functioning as diary entries, the collage compositions overlap personal moments and domestic vignettes to create non-linear narratives of the artist’s life. Utilizing singular photo references for multiple compositions, Villalba examines the spectrum of moods and characteristics of each subject. The works on paper and canvas sheets continue these compositional explorations with plein air scenes, further reinforcing Villalba’s confident and candid practice.