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In ‘Solitary Shadows’, Los Angeles artist Holly Elander paints a concrete city blanketed in darkness, her streetscapes illuminated by electric light that — though painted — seems almost audible as it hums through the night.
This series of paintings gives a voyeuristic view to the streets and alleys we dare not walk alone at night: shadows are cast across buildings by trees and power lines, and an overwhelming darkness engulfs much of each canvas. The series offers a tension; cleverly devised by strong lines and just enough light for the audience to wonder what is hidden by the darkness. In her artist statement from a recent show of the series, Holly explains: “I attempt to build a world on canvas as real as possible, while giving as little information as I can, letting certain details hide in shadows and transform whole houses and trees into simplified silhouettes.”
