Joshua Tree / THIS LAND
Abstract desert landscapes, paintings by Ayin Es.
"Ayin Es reimagines desert life through a unique and playful lens, tinted with an overtly sardonic hue. Throughout, we see random, scattered objects and critters, stranded trailers, and psychedelic mountain ranges, creating an effect that is alternately crude, bizarre, and beautiful. The viewer may find themselves asking where Es' imagination ends, and the desert landscape begins...
"...the vibe also hints at a post-apocalyptic scenario, considering there are no inhabitants in sight. This portrayal succeeds in stripping away the glossy veneer forged in recent years, which suggests that this land is a glamorous, rich-people's playground with endless sunset margaritas enjoyed within dust-free, modern architecture." - Zara Kand, ArtNowLA "Above all, what Es has conveyed so dramatically in the[se] paintings is the pure essence of the intense blue desert skies -- the backdrop to her visual narrative... "...Under her portrayal of these skies, the artist has depicted the prolific rock circle shapes, assorted cacti, trees and other vegetation springing out of the foreground, along with random man-made structures, sculptural oddities and other products of an unbridled imagination, which pervade these thematically connected detail-rich images, verging on dreamscapes." - Megan Abraham, Whitehot Magazine
Artist's Statement: <-drop-down
Artist's Statement: <-drop-down
About twenty-three years ago, I was introduced to Joshua Tree by my partner, Hannah. She'd been talking about how spectacular and magical the place was, as if it was some unique kind of unicorn ride. She wanted to take me to what she called the "desert shack," a place she shared with her ex over the last several years.
Personally, I had no desire to visit such a place. It sounded like a miserable idea to me. A shack under a murderous sun in the middle of bumfuck? No thanks. But this was a special place for her. Our relationship was new, and I didn't want to hurt her feelings, so I made constant excuses as to why it was never a good time for me.
Then one day, she trapped me into going there...
Click here to see the THIS LAND catalog