Louis K. Meisel Gallery is pleased to present Be Still, a group exhibition showcasing a curated selection of Photorealist still lifes by our roster of artists. These works highlight the Photorealist approach to the genre through the media of painting and sculpture.

Rooted in antiquity, still life emerged as a distinctive genre and reached its height in the seventeenth century. Deceptively simple in its concept, nature morte provided artists with a space to experiment and test out new ideas. From Baroque vanitas and trompe l’oeil effects to the shifting perspective of Cézanne’s compositions with apples and Picasso’s Cubist collages, artists have consistently turned to still life to explore new ways of depicting the material world and inanimate objects.

Photorealism aligns seamlessly with the genre in that both have historically emphasized precision above all else. The invention of the camera has equipped artists with the ability to preserve reality—stopping decay, changes in light and shadow, and time itself.

While the Photorealists have employed modern technological tools in their creative process, the works in the show reflect earlier traditions of the genre. Luscious arrangements of flowers and fruit by Ben Schonzeit, Raphaella Spence, and Audrey Flack openly reference compositions of the Dutch Old Masters. Works by Stephen Posen, Jud Nelson, and Randall Rosenthal are examples of contemporary artists playing with trompe l’oeil techniques, which push the boundaries of human perception. Other Photorealists, including Roberto Bernardi and Charles Bell, engage in a delectable interplay of light and glossy surfaces, reflecting a longstanding fascination with the textural quality of objects.

Be Still will be on display at 141 Prince street, New York, NY from April 2nd through May 2nd, Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 am to 5 pm. For further information, please contact gallery@meisels.com