In his third solo show with the gallery, James Chronister continues his nuanced exploration of themes relating to nostalgia and his own upbringing through his photorealistic paintings of landscapes and rock n’ roll icons. The seemingly disparate genres are united through their personal significance to the artist, who aims to create an atmosphere evocative of adolescent experimentation and marvel. The work, created through Chronister’s technically dense and laborious process of hand painting imagery sourced from half-tone style printing, presents snapshots of the scenes and figures that influence our interpretation of themes like freedom and rebellion, essential qualities in the coming of age narrative. The title Bitterroot, a Montana native plant, alludes to the Montana born artist’s view of the show as a homecoming and a final revisiting of influences as he shifts his focus and embarks on a new experimental phase in his practice.
About the Artist
James Chronister was born 1978 in Montana, and lives and works in San Francisco. He received his B.F.A. with High Honors from the University of Montana and his M.F.A. from California College of the Arts. His recent solo exhibitions include a survey show at Lux Art Institute, Encinitas, CA; with group exhibitions at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA and the Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT, among others. His work is held in numerous private and public collections including the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive.
