David Salle, Tree of Life, Couple, 2023, Oil and acrylic on canvas, 198.1 x 137.2 x 6.35cm ©Lehmann Maupin SeoulLehmann Maupin Seoul presents World People, a solo exhibition by David Salle (b. 1952), on view from September 5 to October 28. David Salle’s paintings recombine images appropriated from popular culture, commercial advertisements, or art historical references. His paintings create new connections between subjects through his unique formation.
This exhibition presents 14 new works from his series ‘Tree of Life,’ which he has been working on since 2020. ‘Tree of Life’ is influenced by the style of illustrator Peter Arno, who created a comic arrangement featuring playboys, plutocrats, and hedonists. ‘Tree of Life’ bisects the canvas from top to bottom, with the top half of the canvas featuring figures and narrative, while the bottom half is more abstract and fragmented. A tree appears in front of the figures at the upper side where the events are taking place, partially obscuring the scene with its trunk. In this way, the narrative that takes place on the canvas is energized by the characteristic elements.
