SHAWN HUCKINS
The Birds Will Sing
April 10 - May 8, 2021
Shawn Huckins is a tour de force of technical skill and wit - referencing our sometimes rosy view of history and our complicated present in these exquisitely painted canvases. This series, “The Birds Will Sing,” takes its title from the sweetly bucolic title of an old Cajun folk song. The song, instead of following the title’s lead, turns out to be a murder ballad. This painting series follows in its depiction of what appears at first glance to be simply breathtaking landscapes but which are overlaid with wistfully dark statements about contemporary love.
Huckins’ meticulously hand-painted works are sourced from the public domain and museum collections of classic American paintings. These landscapes, in the tradition of the great 19th century masters like Bierstadt and the Hudson River School, are paired with text pulled from social media. These phrases appear in the texting acronyms, digital shorthand, and misspellings of current virtual communication.
Huckins’ meticulously hand-painted works are sourced from the public domain and museum collections of classic American paintings. These landscapes, in the tradition of the great 19th century masters like Bierstadt and the Hudson River School, are paired with text pulled from social media. These phrases appear in the texting acronyms, digital shorthand, and misspellings of current virtual communication.
