REACH WITHIN A LOVING LIGHT was Jeffrey Cheung’s first solo exhibition with Jack Hanley Gallery in New York City and includes new paintings and works on paper by the artist. The show came down this week. The artist continues to depict the human form in a new and unique way. The figures he creates in this series have no distinctive gender or ethnicity and celebrate freedom of identity. His androgynous subjects are naked and portrayed in various shapes and body types. Long limbs are entangled, holding or touching each other, and bodies are united among visibly happy, smiling faces.
The use of bold colors and playful outlines helps to indicate a sense of joy in these artworks. Paint is applied both with soft brushtrokes and with airbrush, and the full prism of colors used further implies inclusivity amongst these figures. The scenes within the artworks are consistently warm, humorous, and inviting. With these works, Cheung creates a community where no one is marginalized; rather, the individual is celebrated for exactly who they are.
Cheung’s artworks celebrate diversity and create positive images that include queer, trans people and people of color. This message is not only conveyed through paintings but also expanded onto skateboard decks and Unity, a platform encompassing print, publishing, music and skateboarding that carves out an inclusive space for the QTBIPOC community.
