ERIN CLULEY GALLERY is pleased to announce the awaited first solo exhibition by RILEY HOLLOWAY with the gallery, titled HOME. Originally scheduled to open in April, the show was one of many worldwide to be postponed due to the pandemic. HOME will be on view October 10th – November 14th, 2020 at 150 Manufacturing Street, Suite 210 with an Open House on Saturday, October 17th from 12:00 - 5:00 pm with the Artist present.

Riley Holloway’s work begins with the individual. An observer of people, he is inspired by the personalities, conversations, and unique looks of those with whom he comes in contact. HOME takes a more introspective approach to Holloway’s storytelling – leaning heavily on nostalgia to share his perspective on American life. Whether he is referencing old family photographs or Jet Magazine covers form the early 1980s, the collective body of work may feel familiar to some and less so to others – but with the hope that viewers find parallels in their own lives. Through paintings and works on paper, Holloway explores the idea that peach cobbler made by his aunt and family reunions are just as American as apple pie and country clubs.

Normal Rockwell said about his own work, “I was showing the America I knew and observed to others who might not have noticed.” Holloway finds a similar truth in his own work and admires Rockwell’s work yet finds that he himself cannot relate to much of it. Rockwall portrayed his notion of the ideal American life and Holloway sees his exhibition Home as the juxtaposition.

Holloway wrote a poem titled “American Soil” which acts as a thread tying the work together conceptually and will be available for visitors to the exhibition. Often accompanied by his written thoughts and graphic text, Holloway’s works are made with a combined approach of drawing and painting. Elements of charcoal and graphite lines are accompanied by traditional methods of oil painting. The end result finds visitors confronted with works which are unique yet familiar – reiterating the notion of American life being defined differently for everyone.

Holloway’s exhibition has come together as a deeply personal narrative – telling the meaningful story, spanning generations, of life at home. The people, moments, and culture which shaped his childhood, combined with raising his own family, offer the unique perspective of Holloway’s notion of American life.

Holloway received a Nasher Sculpture Center Artist Microgrant in 2019 to support production for HOME. Erin Cluley Gallery is producing a catalog in conjunction with the exhibition with an essay written by Dallas based General Manager of the South Dallas Cultural Center, John Spriggins.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Riley Holloway, born in Los Angeles, CA (1989), currently lives and works in Dallas, TX. Growing up, he developed an early interest in art, learning from his mother, who is an artist herself. He attended The Art Institute of Dallas and the Florence Academy of Art.

Holloway is best known for his dynamic work and fresh look at figurative art. His images are often accompanied by text and personal references embedded within the work. Holloway uses a traditional oil painting technique and bold lines to create depth within the portraits. There is a wonderful counterbalance of softness and masculinity seen in the works.

Holloway’s aesthetics create familiar spaces that are rich in storytelling, free from constraints, and true to his subjects. His content is rich in drama, history, and intimacy.