J. J. Murphy Gallery presents “David Hornung: New Work,” opening on Thursday, February 8, 2024, 6–8 PM. This marks the Lower East Side gallery’s inaugural exhibition.
Amy Sillman has described painting as a process of getting in and out of trouble, which could equally apply to the approach used by David Hornung in his compelling new series of small-scale abstract paintings.
Hornung’s artwork has changed over time, moving from more representational imagery toward a more playful, upbeat, and eccentric abstraction. His work contains a musicality and visual wit reminiscent of Paul Klee. A brilliant colorist like Klee, Hornung explains the recent shift as reflecting a desire for greater freedom. For him, representational work involves preplanning—a series of sketches that are then “translated” onto canvas—whereas abstraction is more improvisational. It’s about dealing with the moment, a sense of not knowing where he’s going, much like a jazz
