PULSE Miami Beach

Thrush Holmes’ practice navigates the so-called meta-narratives of artistic practice: grandiose concepts of biography, introspection, and materiality, all whittled down with his own distinctly ironic, colorful perspective. His method is to re-examine while elevating – and simultaneously poking-fun – at the conventions of the ‘Still Life’. Through his handling, and a tongue-in-cheek application of fluorescent neon lightbulbs, Holmes raises these objects to a fetishistic status; his signature marked prominently in arbitrary swirls of neon. These are markings of man’s territory, it seems, as he metaphorically pisses over the conventions of floral painting with gusto and flair. Bursting with energy, the paintings themselves triumph the physical properties of their materiality: paint drips and splatters become definitive marks on the canvas. For the viewer, such confident mark-making and material combinations suggest an artist at the beginning of a strong career. His work suggests a hybrid-form indebted to older traditions but somehow liberated by new contemporary modes. Holmes’ work can be found in permanent collections such as the Elton John Aids Foundation, Sony, Dreamworks and Def Jam Records.