Expressionist Art Exhibitions

The Devil/god is an Expressionist Art Exhibition

Devil/God is an expressionist art exhibition presenting paintings and sculpture by Australian artist Ben Quilty for his New York solo debut. The exhibition addresses masculinity, power, religion, climate collapse, colonial violence, and institutional authority through heavily impastoed works and distorted forms. Its central reference is Arthur Conan Doyle’s 1928 story When the World Screamed, in which Professor Challenger drills into Earth and triggers violent earthquakes. Cars recur throughout Quilty’s paintings as symbols of male aggression and pride, appearing with distorted proportions or replacing human heads. One oversized carburetor scoop becomes large enough to make its vehicle impossible to drive.

A carved Virgin Mary uses alternating layers of leather and plywood, referencing straps historically used to punish children in church schools. The construction connects the religious figure to institutional violence while retaining its recognizable form. Mutated bodies, slashing brushwork, and dense surfaces recur throughout the exhibition alongside more delicate elements.

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