Jonathan LeVine Projects is pleased to present Between Carnival and Lent, a solo exhibition by artist Win Wallace, who was the First place winner of the 2018 Delusional Art Competition.  He was chosen from a jury of esteemed art world professionals such as Evan Pricco, the editor of Juxtapoz, and Yasha Young, the director of the Berlin museum Urban Nation.

The conte and charcoal drawings Win created for the exhibition recreate the feeling of Mardi Gras. “The work incorporates my visual language which is inspired by growing up in the rural south” Win Wallace has created a festival, playing with costume, dance, and music, combining the surreal and folklore.  There are musicians playing traditional instruments, dancers in the midst of a dance, and men and women are dressed up in their finest, while the children are gathered, with a look of mischief. Each work is almost lifesize which gives the viewer a feeling they are part of the festival and all the figures are wearing a mask.

“The masks became more involved because I make fictional portraits and people’s faces limit the viewer’s ability to have an unburdened interaction with them. I am trying to make portraiture that reaches for something more universal.  My hope is that no matter where a person has lived or grown up, they can have an honest interaction with the drawings and find a connection with it. The masks incorporate archetypal characters and details that highlight the beauty of individual uniqueness as well as our larger shared humanity.”