I first encountered the work of Patrick Hughes at the New York Art on Paper fair. I was struck by his engaging compositions, subtle and controlled palette, and intimate size, in the context of big, flashy, need to grab your attention works all around. The paintings are very reminiscent of Juan Gris with a touch of Joan Miro. And this is where they become problematic, because they look too much like they could have been painted in early 20th Century, Paris. This is problematic, because Patrick Hughes is from Iowa and is making art in 2018. Does art need to reflect the time and place of its origin? Perhaps. It needs to at least build on its influence if it is to attract any interest. In these paintings, Hughes has done an admirable job of capturing the feel of analytical cubism and early surrealism, but he hasn’t moved the idea further or even put his own mark on it. He is treading ground already broken in by Gris. I would want to see more than this reworking. Hughes has it in him.
Arthur Bruso © 2018
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