“Inka Essenhigh” at Miles McEnery Gallery
Through November 14, 2020
What the gallery says: “As found throughout Surrealism and other modern avant-garde movements, Essenhigh’s paintings tend be uniquely episodic, while still sharing themes of flora and fauna. They are touched by a curious self-containment and an interiority of the force of imagination. Her works display dimensional narratives that require close-up viewing, creating a visceral dialogue, one viewer at a time. Each is marked by bright, rich color, and a decision to revel in the “little world” schema of psychology with a fluidity between people and their things.”
<img class="size-large wp-image-1920914" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/5876c6643177050c95627a49ef5554a8-1024×837.jpeg" alt="Inka Essenhigh,
Mission Chinese Restaurant (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnry Gallery, NY.” width=”1024″ height=”837″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/5876c6643177050c95627a49ef5554a8-1024×837.jpeg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/5876c6643177050c95627a49ef5554a8-300×245.jpeg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/5876c6643177050c95627a49ef5554a8-50×41.jpeg 50w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>
Inka Essenhigh, (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, NY.
Why it’s worth a look: Who couldn’t use a bit of escapism right now? In American painter Inka Essenhigh’s fantastical world, the goblinesque creatures and their environments seem to be lit from within, whether cast in the cool light of the predawn morning or in the deep burnt orange of a Chinese restaurant. With nods to surrealism and animation, Essenhigh’s landscapes are populated by characters from folklore and mythology, in some cases existing only as faceless shadows. At a time where the real world is filled with screaming headlines and endless stressors, Essenhigh’s magic garden offers a lovely, transporting respite.
What it looks like:
Inka Essenhigh, (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.
Inka Essenhigh, (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.
Installation view, “Inka Essenhigh” at Miles McEnery Gallery. Image: Christopher Burke Studio. Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY
Inka Essenhigh, (2019). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.
Installation view, “Inka Essenhigh” at Miles McEnery Gallery. Image: Christopher Burke Studio. Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY
<img class="size-large wp-image-1920841" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Orange-Fall.32033-1024×791.jpg" alt="Inka Essenhigh,
Orange Fall (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.” width=”1024″ height=”791″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Orange-Fall.32033-1024×791.jpg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Orange-Fall.32033-300×232.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Orange-Fall.32033-50×39.jpg 50w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>
Inka Essenhigh, (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.
<img class="size-large wp-image-1920842" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Predawn-in-Early-Spring.32314-833×1024.jpg" alt="Inka Essenhigh,
Predawn in Early Spring (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.” width=”833″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Predawn-in-Early-Spring.32314-833×1024.jpg 833w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Predawn-in-Early-Spring.32314-244×300.jpg 244w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Predawn-in-Early-Spring.32314-41×50.jpg 41w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Predawn-in-Early-Spring.32314.jpg 1465w” sizes=”(max-width: 833px) 100vw, 833px”>
Inka Essenhigh, (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.
Inka Essenhigh, (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.
Inka Essenhigh, (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.
<img class="size-large wp-image-1920839" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Full-Bloom.32212-763×1024.jpg" alt=" Inka Essenhigh,
Full Bloom (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.” width=”763″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Full-Bloom.32212-763×1024.jpg 763w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Full-Bloom.32212-224×300.jpg 224w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Full-Bloom.32212-37×50.jpg 37w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Full-Bloom.32212.jpg 1341w” sizes=”(max-width: 763px) 100vw, 763px”>
Inka Essenhigh, (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.
<img class="size-large wp-image-1920846" src="https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Purple-Pod-Beans.32778-1024×1024.jpg" alt="Inka Essenhigh,
Purple Pod Beans (2019). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.” width=”1024″ height=”1024″ srcset=”https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Purple-Pod-Beans.32778-1024×1024.jpg 1024w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Purple-Pod-Beans.32778-150×150.jpg 150w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Purple-Pod-Beans.32778-300×300.jpg 300w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Purple-Pod-Beans.32778-32×32.jpg 32w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Purple-Pod-Beans.32778-50×50.jpg 50w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Purple-Pod-Beans.32778-64×64.jpg 64w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Purple-Pod-Beans.32778-96×96.jpg 96w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Purple-Pod-Beans.32778-128×128.jpg 128w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Purple-Pod-Beans.32778-256×256.jpg 256w, https://news.artnet.com/app/news-upload/2020/11/IE-Purple-Pod-Beans.32778-434×434.jpg 434w” sizes=”(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px”>
Inka Essenhigh, (2019). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.
Inka Essenhigh, (2020). Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY.
Installation view, “Inka Essenhigh” at Miles McEnery Gallery. Image: Christopher Burke Studio. Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY
Installation view, “Inka Essenhigh” at Miles McEnery Gallery. Image: Christopher Burke Studio. Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY
Installation view, “Inka Essenhigh” at Miles McEnery Gallery. Image: Christopher Burke Studio. Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY
Installation view, “Inka Essenhigh” at Miles McEnery Gallery. Image: Christopher Burke Studio. Courtesy of the artist and Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY
Source: Exhibition - news.artnet.com
