Nathan Redwood: On A Neck

Untitled #1, 2009; acrylic on paper. Courtesy of Electric Works, San Francisco.

Although the paintings in “On A Neck” are stylistically those of Nathan Redwood, he has made some questionable departures from his earlier work. The artist’s new indulgence in portraiture seems a logical step in terms of his subject matter. However, his abstracted figures do not translate when left without a background context.

When I last saw Redwood’s work at Electric Works, I was quite taken with his large, narrative, yet surreal, paintings. They had not only a great presence in the space, but were also extremely fun. In this show, there is very little imagination in the work, and Redwood’s particular style can at times be overwhelming to its detriment. These newer, much smaller works have the same sense of quickness and palette without the intricacies for which he is known. His figures are sometimes slightly abstracted, at other times completely. Yet without backgrounds in which to ground them, most float haphazardly within swirling colors.

The gallery separated paintings on canvas from those on paper, which was a well-considered move—the framed works on paper are much stronger. This may have to do with their execution. Even though the subjects are shared with those of the rest of the show, the five pieces together form a more coherent narrative. Four of the group are untitled, which might seem important since the titles for Redwood’s work are nearly always simple. But with these more abstract portraits, his non-titles render the work uneventful.

Nathan Redwood: On A Neck is on view at Electric Works Gallery in San Francisco through November 7, 2009.