L.A. artist Delfin Finley explores the gray areas of living, where joy and pain collide.
Honesty is what makes the L.A.-based artist’s multifaceted works felt: “If I paint something and it makes me sad, it’s f—ing sad. That is the barometer of the life of the piece, so to speak.”Let’s talk about your solo show, “Coalescence.” Where did the idea of the rope motif come from?In my [first solo] show, “Some Things Never Change” [at Lora Schlesinger Gallery in 2017], there was a larger painting of me, and it depicted me sitting with a noose hanging above my head.
Sometimes there isn’t a perfect image. Let’s say I really liked the head positioning on this one, but in this other photo that we took, I really like where the hands are. I’ll make a composite. So it’s not even an image that existed. People will suggest that I just present the photographs, but this photograph doesn’t exist. The painting itself is a whole new thing.Yes, they’re literally wearing the ropes that we’re seeing. And they’re heavy.
“‘Coalescence’ embodies everything that I’m trying to talk about,” says Finley. “It literally means the merging or the joining of multiple elements to become one.”There is a lot of adoration that I have for my community, and I want that to be very evident. I want you to be able to feel that [adoration] when you’re looking at the work. And you know, as much as the paintings are portraits of my loved ones, in the same way, they’re portraits of me. We’re very much a product of everyone around us.
Allison Noelle Conner is an arts and culture writer based in Los Angeles. Her writing has appeared in Artsy, Carla, East of Borneo, Hyperallergic, KCET Artbound and elsewhere. Currently, she is the editorial fellow at X-tra Contemporary Art Journal.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Vida Blue, who led Oakland to 3 World Series titles, dies at 73A six-time All-Star and three-time 20-game winner, Blue helped pitch the Swingin’ A’s, as Charley Finley’s colorful, mustachioed team was known, to consecutive World Series titles from 1972-74
Read more »
Vida Blue, who led Oakland to 3 World Series titles, dies at 73A six-time All-Star and three-time 20-game winner, Blue helped pitch the Swingin’ A’s, as Charley Finley’s colorful, mustachioed team was known, to consecutive World Series titles from 1972-74
Read more »
Jeff Brown knew he wanted to be a grocer at 8 years old. Now he wants to help young people think about the future.The Shop-Rite executive learned early what he wanted to do in life from his family's business and wants to help the city's youth do the same.
Read more »
Jordan Neely’s Family Condemns Killer Daniel Penny’s Vilification of NeelyThe family implores Mayor Eric Adams to give them a call rather than continuing to criticize Neely.
Read more »
Black Thought Announces New Memoir, 'The Upcycled Self'The Roots rapper’s upcoming book will tell the story of “four powerful relationships that shaped him — community, friends, art, and family”
Read more »