Disparate: Eva Lewis

LaiSun Keane is proud to introduce Eva Lewis, a 2022 Boston University MFA candidate, in her first major solo show. Lewis paints feminine identifying subjects in the style of figurative history paintings, drawing inspiration from their formal composition and use of symbolism while depicting scenes and figures that subvert and comment on historical depictions of women. 

 

Lewis' intelligently executed paintings utilize soft but saturated colors, exploring the use of light and color as a way to evoke emotional response in the viewer. Her familiar yet dreamy settings feature subjects drawn from her own friend group from her hometown of Dayton, Ohio. The works feature women engaging in ordinary activities, such as swimming and gardening, creating a sense of immediacy and alluding to a narrative going on just beyond the edge of the canvas. Lewis employs formal compositional elements such as circles, crowded surfaces and the bending or breaking of the body, all functioning to draw the viewer into the space and create a sense of understanding between viewer and subject. 

 

Lewis, who graduates in May, has been gaining notice in Boston with several group exhibitions. Disparate at LaiSun Keane Gallery includes three never-before-seen works. All works were completed in 2021 or 2022.