Cosmic phenomena, spiritual symbolism, and the stuff of dreams embellish Lou Benesch’s mystical watercolor paintings. From a trio of blackbirds hovering over a giant bed on a ragged coastline or a many-faced ram bearing bells and birds, the Paris-based artist (previously) draws on the iconography of folklore, fairytales, Greek myths, and symbols of spirituality.

A Comforting Invisible, opening soon at Hashimoto Contemporary, marks the artist’s first solo show with the gallery and brings together a collection of otherworldly illustrations that begin with reality but morph into unearthly, imaginary beings.

In often semi-symmetric compositions, hybrid animals and unique interactions nod to metamorphosis and metaphysical experiences in surreal landscapes. The edges of each piece of paper have also darkened or faded with age, emphasizing the element of time or—as in dreams—timelessness.

Benesch explores what the gallery describes as the “existence of a second, invisible realm accessed only through the portal of dreams.” Stage-like settings, archways, and niches reveal emblems like eyes, a miniature labyrinth, the sun and moon, eggs, and a range of geometric shapes.

Eggs, for example, represent hope, fertility, and rebirth. People have revered the sun and moon since time immemorial, symbolizing duality, balance, and transition. Benesch adds that the addition of a maze provides a way to “access this universe of contemplation… with an invisible hand guiding us along the paths that we forget to see.” 

A Comforting Invisible runs from November 9 to 30 in Los Angeles. Find more on the artist’s website and Instagram.