Push Lock (Self Portrait), 2020, Gouache on paper, 8” x 10”Opening Reception: Friday, February 10 from 7pm to 9pm
HOMME Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of DEEP/CLEAN, the debut solo exhibition from artist Samantha Van Heest. After three years in the making, Van Heest presents a body of work consisting of paintings (on both canvas and paper), drawings, and a sculptural artist book.
DEEP/CLEAN navigates the deconstruction of childhood and the limitations of memory. Utilizing still life, found objects, and portraiture, Van Heest’s work explores the complexities of recollecting the past while recognizing that memory is not always representative of the truth. Through minimal backgrounds and a hyperfocus on the object, viewers are given part of the narrative, while craving answers underneath the secrecy. Similarly to many young adults who were back in their parents’ homes at the start of the pandemic, Van Heest had nothing to do besides tackle the accumulated mess of her childhood bedroom. This is where DEEP/CLEAN began: it was time to decide what to keep, what to remember, what to toss, and what to shove back in the box.
Samantha Van Heest (b. 1998) is an artist and art educator currently residing in the greater Washington DC area. She has exhibited her work across the United States and in France. Her debut solo exhibition, DEEP/CLEAN, opens February 2023 at HOMME Gallery in Washington, DC. Samantha has been included in various group shows at UMBRELLA Art Fair, Washington DC; Latela Curatorial, Washington DC; McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA; among others. She was featured in New American Paintings South #148 and has worked for the contemporary painter Amy Sherald. She teaches art in the Greater Washington DC area with a focus in drawing, painting, and portfolio development. Van Heest earned a BA in Studio Art from the University of Mary Washington in 2020.
The exhibition is located at Homme Gallery 52 O St. NW.
