SG Project Space Exclusive Interview: Aaron Nagel
Artist Aaron Nagel in front of his work. Photo from Arrestedmotion.com.
Aaron Nagel paints hyper-realist portraits with strong, Baroque contrasts in light and color. His solo show Bastion is opening in the SG Project Space this Saturday, June 8th from 7 – 11 PM. A true Renaissance Man, Nagel is both an accomplished artist and lead guitarist for the band Desa. Mostly choosing the female form as his subject, Nagel’s paintings subvert traditional Catholic iconography with unapologetic nudity and a modern aesthetic. In our interview with Nagel, we learned that the artist’s nudes are intended to be more figurative than erotic, and that he manipulates the lighting with photographic techniques to achieve those dramatic effects.
RSVP.
Bastion, New Works by Aaron Nagel
Opening Reception – June 8, 2024, 7-11 pm
On View Through June 29, 2024
@ Shooting Gallery Project Space (shootinggallerysf.com/project-space)
886 Geary Street, San Francisco CA 94109
To read the full interview and catch a glimpse of Nagel’s latest work, follow the jump.
The textures and stark nudity in your paintings could be interpreted as a kinky undercurrent. Are you responding to this subculture?
The subculture of kink? Absolutely not. I actually kind of go out of my way to make sure any relationship to what could be considered kinky is as thin as possible. Obviously some people will be into it, in an erotic manner, but i’m not using nudes for eroticism — but because I find them aesthetically appealing, and because the supposed vulnerability of a nude body is a fun concept to mess with.
You often seem to use paint or ink on your model’s hands. What is this material?
It is acrylic paint in most cases.
How do you achieve such baroque lighting in your pieces? Do you photograph the models initially this way, or enhance it during the painting process?
I do a little work on the photos in photoshop, but for the most part, I try and get that lighting for the shoot. I dated a photographer a few years back, and aside from giving me nightmares, she taught me how to light photographs, which made a huge impact on my paintings. I’m still not very good at it, but I have a system that works — and lighting has really become an important part of the composition of a piece for me.
There are some direct references to specific saints and biblical stories, the arrows signifying St Sebastian and the La Pieta pose of the Virgin and Jesus. Are you only borrowing these postures, or do their original narratives influence your work?
I’m more or less just borrowing the postures, imagery, symbolism, etc. I’m not trying to create a new narrative, but I am trying to convey some of the same moods — without an overt and more importantly, honest, religious connotation.
You’re from the Bay, what’s your favorite bar or restaurant in San Francisco?
Boy, do I hate bars, but I love Millennium [the restaurant]. Fancy vegan food is a treat.
[...] out Nagel’s most recent interview here and see process shots after the [...]
[...] out Nagel’s most recent interview here and see process shots after the [...]
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