Gregory Thielker is an American artist, currently based in Paris. For his new show, The Liquid Night, the artist has focused on the feeling of driving after hours, when darkness has set in. These paintings build upon his popular series of views while driving in the rain, rendered in a highly realistic manner. But the new canvases represent a shift toward the mysterious and transitory sights of the city at night. Shops are closed, the work day is finished, and yet the road invites you onward into the velvety dark, broken only by glowing lights from cars, street lamps, and constellations of raindrops.
For many years, Gregory Thielker has been focused on a familiar perspective, the landscape seen from inside of the car. He has taken this theme to ambitious lengths, with projects across India, and following the entire US Mexico border, but at heart, his work is a visceral exploration of the unnoticed moment inside of the car. Within his work, we see both the outside world and yet remain detached from it, safe to let thoughts wander and emotions enter in. Drawing upon artists like Edward Hopper, these paintings invite viewers to find a solitary meditation within the lonely road against a dim horizon.
The Liquid Night invites viewers to experience the transformative nature of nighttime driving through Thielker's distinct artistic lens. The exhibition features a collection of large-scale canvases that capture the interplay between light and shadow, revealing the city’s quiet beauty after dark. Each piece conveys a sense of solitude and introspection, as Thielker expertly translates the atmospheric conditions of night driving into visual poetry. This exploration of nighttime landscapes serves not only as an artistic expression but also as a meditation on the deeper emotional resonance found in solitude and the passage of time.
"For me, driving at night is about becoming lost in time. I love the sound of rain pattering on the car and the rhythmic swish of the wiper blades. In the daytime we are always conscious of the next place to be, but at the end of the day, the pressure eases, and thoughts and memories become more fluid. Making the paintings then is a way to get back to that feeling, while slowly building it on the canvas."
This is the artist's second solo exhibition with Guy Hepner in New York. To RSVP to the opening reception Thursday October 24th, or to receive the exhibition catalog, contact info@guyhepner.com.
