Troy Lamarr Chew II

Parker Gallery, Los Angeles

Parker Gallery

An installation view focusing on a single black wall in a white gallery with dark wood floors. On a painted black wall hang three paintings. Each vertically oriented, rectangular painting has a central irregular shape of gold and white while the edges are black, blending in with the wall. The first painting on our left depicts a curved shield shape of gold inlaid with rubies and diamonds. In the gold area a series of ancient jaw bones showing dental implants are painted as if engraved. The middle work depicts a group of portraits in gold surrounded by diamonds and pale yellow gemstones. The third painting depicts the portraits of three men in gold, smiling and showing their teeth. The faces are surrounded by blue and clear gemstones.

A different installation view of the wall described in the last photo with a wider angle showing the wall to our left where another painting hangs on a white wall. On the black wall to our right hang three paintings. Each vertically oriented, rectangular painting has a central irregular shape of gold and white while the edges are black, blending in with the wall. The first painting on our left depicts a curved shield shape of gold inlaid with rubies and diamonds. In the gold area a series of ancient jaw bones showing dental implants are painted as if engraved. The middle work depicts a group of portraits in gold surrounded by diamonds and pale yellow gemstones. The third painting depicts the portraits of three men in gold, smiling and showing their teeth. The faces are surrounded by blue and clear gemstones. On the white wall to our left hangs a self portrait of the artist with a paintbrush in one hand and a blunt in the other. The artist is in the foreground of a night scene with the red and blue lights of a police car in the background.

A wider installation view of the gallery space showing three walls. On our right is a black painted wall with two paintings (we're too close to see the third in this series previously described). On the back wall is a portrait of the artist on a white wall to the right of an open doorway showing part of a stair rail. On our left is a large painting in front of the golden gate bridge.

A white wall is hung with a large, vertically oriented painting of the artist with a painter's palette and paintbrush in one hand while smoking a cigar with the other hand. The figure is in the foreground standing on a red cliff, a corner of a blue car is seen behind him as well as the Golden Gate Bridge, blue water of the bay and a sky with thin grey clouds. The figure is wearing a long sleeve blue t-shirt, blue denim shorts and green tennis shoes. The skin of his face, hands and calves is transparent, as if he is invisible underneath his clothes. But this skin also seems highly reflective, his calves show little mirrored reflections of the red dirt on the cliff and his face and hands mirror certain moments of the Golden Gate Bridge's architecture.

A large self portrait of the artist with a painter's palette and paintbrush in one hand while smoking a cigar with the other hand. The figure is in the foreground standing on a red cliff, a corner of a blue car is seen behind him as well as the Golden Gate Bridge, blue water of the bay and a sky with thin grey clouds. The figure is wearing a long sleeve blue t-shirt, blue denim shorts and green tennis shoes. The skin of his face, hands and calves is transparent, as if he is invisible beneath his clothes. But this skin also seems highly reflective, his calves show little mirrored reflections of the red dirt on the cliff and his face and hands mirror certain moments of the Golden Gate Bridge's architecture.

A detail from a large self portrait of the artist with palette and cigar while standing on a red cliff with the Golden Gate Bridge behind him. The skin of his face, hands and calves is transparent, as if he is invisible underneath his clothes. But this skin also seems highly reflective, his calves show little mirrored reflections of the red dirt on the cliff and his face and hands mirror certain moments of the Golden Gate Bridge's architecture. Most of his face and the hand to our left, with the cigar, mirror the colors of the sky while the hand holding the palette reflects the dark blue of his shirt and the green handle of the paintbrush.

A large vertically oriented portrait of the artist at night. To our left, near the bottom edge of the painting one hand holds a paintbrush and the other hand carries a lit blunt. The figure is wearing black clothes and his gold jewelry and brown skin glows in the headlamps and red and blue lights of a police car coming from behind. The artist is winking, and a starburst of light is glinting from a gold or a gem encrusted tooth.

A tighter image of the last shot. A large vertically oriented portrait of the artist at night. To our left, near the bottom edge of the painting one hand holds a paintbrush and the other hand carries a lit blunt. The figure is wearing black clothes and his gold jewelry and brown skin glows in the headlamps and red and blue lights of a police car coming from behind. The artist is winking, and a starburst of light is glinting from a gold or a gem encrusted tooth.

A detail of the painting described in the last two images. The image zooms in on the artist's face and chest. The paint is applied thinly and smoothly, the grain of the canvas still visible on close inspection. The artist is wearing a black jacket with the design of teeth in white across the back of the collar. A gold chain gleams in the light, a gold earring gleams more brightly and gold teeth create a starburst that glows across the artist's face. The sky in the background has eerie blues and reds, like a false sunset, brought on by police lights.

A vertically oriented painting featuring an irregular shield of gold floating in a black background. The shield or broach-like object, like an ancient piece of jewelry, is bordered by diamonds. Three huge round diamonds are painted in one corner, held by leaf shaped fronds of gold that connect to the main shield. In the center, ancient jawbones are painted as if engraved in gold. The teeth of the jawbones sport gems and gold inlays. The engravings float among inlaid red gemstones. Round, triangular, and rectangular gems fill space between the jaws. Two small round stones are set like eyes into the central jawbone, whose teeth are inset with tiny red gems.

A tighter image of a vertically oriented painting featuring an irregular shield of gold floating in a black background. The shield or broach-like object, like an ancient piece of jewelry, is bordered by diamonds. Three huge round diamonds are painted in one corner, held by leaf shaped fronds of gold that connect to the main shield. In the center, ancient jawbones are painted as if engraved in gold. The teeth of the jawbones sport gems and gold inlays. The engravings float among inlaid red gemstones. Round, triangular, and rectangular gems fill space between the jaws. Two small round stones are set like eyes into the central jawbone, whose teeth are inset with tiny red gems.

A detail of the last painting focusing in the top part of the broach or shield of gold. The largest jawbone is centered, showing half a skull engraved in gold with a full mouth of white teeth. The front six teeth on the top and bottom have tiny red gemstones inlaid in them. Two of the jawbones below have bars of gold across the front top teeth. Surrounding the jawbones, bright, faced gems float in gold. The gems are painted in facets of light and dark red, white and black and consequently appear to gleam.

Another detail of the painting described in the last images. This detail focuses on one of the large round diamonds suspended from the bottom of the main piece of jewelry and held in place by a frond of gold. The diamond is highly faceted and painted in a combination of white, gray, blue and black triangles. Consequently it appears to glint.

A painting of a an irregular piece of gold jewelry, filling most of a black canvas. A border of diamonds surrounds the piece of jewelry. Inside this border, a curve of gold separates the lower and upper portions of the shield or broach. The left lower quadrant is filled with rows of rectangular cut diamonds. The upper right area has three engraved portraits of men smiling amidst bright blue gems. The first face is that of the artist whose hand pulls up his upper lip to reveal three gold teeth (the remaining teeth are white while his face is also gold). The next man has glasses and a gentle smile revealing two gold teeth. The last man smiles widely revealing one gold tooth.

A tighter image of a painting of a an irregular piece of gold jewelry, filling most of a black canvas. A border of diamonds surrounds the piece of jewelry. Inside this border, a curve of gold separates the lower and upper portions of the shield or broach. The left lower quadrant is filled with rows of rectangular cut diamonds. The upper right area has three engraved portraits of men smiling amidst bright blue gems. The first face is that of the artist whose hand pulls up his upper lip to reveal three gold teeth (the remaining teeth are white while his face is also gold). The next man has glasses and a gentle smile revealing two gold teeth. The last man smiles widely revealing one gold tooth.

A detail from the painting described in the last two images. The detail focuses on two of the portraits engraved in gold. Many of the blue sapphires and diamonds are seen more clearly here. Each stone is painted with a combination of colors in tightly faceted shapes in order to create depth and the appearance of reflected light.

A painting of a gold shield or piece of jewelry bordered by black. The jewelry has a border of diamonds and fills almost the entire canvas. Inside, the jewelry is separated into two sections with a line of gold. The bottom half is filled with large round diamonds and some of the space between the stones is filled with smaller round diamonds. In the upper section, a group of portraits and jawbones and smiling mouths with gleaming teeth are engraved in gold. One portrait is wearing a helmet with horns, and his teeth have letters carved into the surface. Another smiling face is wearing glasses or sunglasses and his teeth have encrusted diamonds. A third portrait with face tattoos, pulls back his lip with a hand to reveal the diamonds in his teeth. Another face has the word "DIRTY" written in diamonds in his upper teeth while his lower teeth are plain diamonds. These faces float among scattered yellow gemstones of all shapes as well as disembodied mouths with gold or gem encrusted teeth in various combinations.

A tighter view of a painting of a gold shield or piece of jewelry bordered by black. The jewelry has a border of diamonds and fills almost the entire canvas. Inside, the jewelry is separated into two sections with a line of gold. The bottom half is filled with large round diamonds, and some of the space between the stones is filled with smaller round diamonds. In the upper section, a group of portraits and jawbones and smiling mouths with gleaming teeth are engraved in gold. One portrait is wearing a helmet with horns and his teeth have letters carved into the surface. Another smiling face is wearing glasses or sunglasses and his teeth have encrusted diamonds. A third portrait with face tattoos, pulls back his lip with a hand to reveal the diamonds in his teeth. Another face has the word "DIRTY" written in diamonds in his upper teeth while his lower teeth are plain diamonds. These faces float among scattered yellow gemstones of all shapes as well as disembodied mouths with gold or gem encrusted teeth in various combinations.

Detail from the painting described in the last two photographs. This image focuses on two disembodied mouths, one full of gold teeth and the other a design of gold and inlaid diamonds. Between the mouths, pale yellow gemstones float. One small and round, two rectangular and one triangular. Part of the lower half of the broach or shield filled with diamonds is partly visible.

Another detail of a painting of faces engraved in gold on a shield or piece of jewelry. The detail focuses on the lower left portion where a man with a face tattoo pulls back his lip to reveal a mouth full of gems.

Troy Lamarr Chew IIFuck the King's Horses and All the King's Men
Parker Gallery, Los Angeles

Exhibition Images

Troy Lamarr Chew IIFuck the King's Horses and All the King's MenParker Gallery, Los Angeles

Exhibition Images

Troy Lamarr Chew IIFuck the King's Horses and All the King's Men
Parker Gallery, Los Angeles