Tyler Toews
born in Vancouver, BC. lives and works in Vancovuer.
The paintings of Tyler Toews feature bold compositions blocked out in bright colours often utilizing loosely representational elements. The work incorporates the aesthetics of street art, from areas of paint drips to the artist's signature scrawled in thick paint like a graffiti tag in the bottom corner of a canvas. In some works, abstract elements merge into faces sporting crudely painted jagged teeth and geometric facial features. In others, Towes covers much of the canvas in swaths of colour applied in sweeping brush strokes, creating a unique vocabulary that combines abstract expressionism and gestural painting styles.
The paintings of Tyler Toews feature bold compositions blocked out in bright colours often utilizing loosely representational elements. The work incorporates the aesthetics of street art, from areas of paint drips to the artist's signature scrawled in thick paint like a graffiti tag in the bottom corner of a canvas. In some works, abstract elements merge into faces sporting crudely painted jagged teeth and geometric facial features. In others, Towes covers much of the canvas in swaths of colour applied in sweeping brush strokes, creating a unique vocabulary that combines abstract expressionism and gestural painting styles.
Past Exhibitions at Mónica Reyes Gallery formerly Back Gallery Project
Tyler Toews | Cosmic (2017)
Tyler Toews returns with a commanding new body of work this November at Back Gallery Project. Marking his third solo exhibition at BGP, Toews’ new paintings are full of the gestural energy one has come to expect from this rising star. Adept at creating bold compositions that threaten to spill out of their frames, Toews draws equally from the traditions of street art and historical abstraction. Cubist-inspired faces exist alongside spills and slathers of paint that create a distinct conversation about the convergence of art history and street styles. Culled from his childhood graffiti handle, the title of the exhibition speaks to the artist’s interest in the unknown, both internal and external.
Noah Becker, publisher of White Hot Magazine, noted in 2014: “Tyler's colour is good and his brush strokes and gestural marks have the confidence and authenticity of major expressionists. Basquiat and DeKooning come to mind but beyond shallow references [...] Tyler struck me as an authentic creator of exciting new paintings.”
Working for the last several years as the assistant to painter Attila Richard Lukacs, Toews has taken the consistent studio time to heart. Using the studio as a place to work, experiment, and grow, the painter has become more confident in his handling while continuing to excel as a dynamic colorist. Moments of clarity within his writhing compositions yield crisp masks and architectural elements reminiscent of the metaphysical paintings of Giorgio di Chirico. These lulls in the chaos serve as poignant counterpoints to Toews’ furtive brushstrokes and wandering linework.
Noah Becker, publisher of White Hot Magazine, noted in 2014: “Tyler's colour is good and his brush strokes and gestural marks have the confidence and authenticity of major expressionists. Basquiat and DeKooning come to mind but beyond shallow references [...] Tyler struck me as an authentic creator of exciting new paintings.”
Working for the last several years as the assistant to painter Attila Richard Lukacs, Toews has taken the consistent studio time to heart. Using the studio as a place to work, experiment, and grow, the painter has become more confident in his handling while continuing to excel as a dynamic colorist. Moments of clarity within his writhing compositions yield crisp masks and architectural elements reminiscent of the metaphysical paintings of Giorgio di Chirico. These lulls in the chaos serve as poignant counterpoints to Toews’ furtive brushstrokes and wandering linework.
Tyler Toews | Traffic (2016)
The studio is a place for inspiration, contemplation, improvisation, where dialogue happens. The studio gives context to the artist's life.Tyler Toews has been Attila Richard Lukacs' studio assistant for the past five and a half years. His training in the studio has payed off. Attila's mentoring has given the young artist a wealth of experience for dealing with the day to day challenges the artist faces in creating art. Tyler's second show with the Back Gallery Project is giving us a fresh take on the expressionist tradition. Again his strength as a colourist is evident. His brush stroke is confident and more articulate than the past. A dynamic sense of composition using cut-up and chance elements from still life, masks and skulls nudges the mind to consider our mortality and is just enough to recognize the artists mature thought. It is good to see this maturity. It gives a depth to the pleasure that comes from a good surprise. Text by Michael Morris
Michael Morris
Michael Morris, Known primarily as an abstract painter and printmaker, Morris has also completed successful works in film, photography, video, installation and performance. He achieved international and critical acclaim at a young age, and is recognized as a catalyst in the development of the Vancouver art scene of the 1960’s. Further to this, Morris, along with eight colleagues from various disciplines, founded and directed the Western Front Society.
Morris’s work is held in the collections of the Montreal Museum of Fine Art, the National Film Board of Canada, The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
The studio is a place for inspiration, contemplation, improvisation, where dialogue happens. The studio gives context to the artist's life.Tyler Toews has been Attila Richard Lukacs' studio assistant for the past five and a half years. His training in the studio has payed off. Attila's mentoring has given the young artist a wealth of experience for dealing with the day to day challenges the artist faces in creating art. Tyler's second show with the Back Gallery Project is giving us a fresh take on the expressionist tradition. Again his strength as a colourist is evident. His brush stroke is confident and more articulate than the past. A dynamic sense of composition using cut-up and chance elements from still life, masks and skulls nudges the mind to consider our mortality and is just enough to recognize the artists mature thought. It is good to see this maturity. It gives a depth to the pleasure that comes from a good surprise. Text by Michael Morris
Michael Morris
Michael Morris, Known primarily as an abstract painter and printmaker, Morris has also completed successful works in film, photography, video, installation and performance. He achieved international and critical acclaim at a young age, and is recognized as a catalyst in the development of the Vancouver art scene of the 1960’s. Further to this, Morris, along with eight colleagues from various disciplines, founded and directed the Western Front Society.
Morris’s work is held in the collections of the Montreal Museum of Fine Art, the National Film Board of Canada, The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, England, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Tyler Toews | Freestyle (2014)
The paintings of Tyler Toews feature bold compositions blocked out in bright colours with loosely representational elements. The work incorporates the aesthetics of street art, from areas of paint drips to the artist's signature scrawled in thick paint like a graffiti tag in the bottom corner of a canvas. Abstract elements merge into faces sporting crudely painted jagged teeth and geometric facial features, creating a unique vocabulary that combines abstract expressionism and gestural painting styles.
“Toews is an artist I met at Attila Richard Lukacs' studio. I know that job as I was also an artists assistant in Attila's New York studio in the 1990s. Other artists who have worked with Attila are Tim Gardner and Eli Langer to name two. Tyler currently works as Attila's studio assistant and has done so for several years. In a section of the studio Lukacs stores new works and giant finished and unfinished canvases. It was in this area of Attila's studio that I saw something I had not seen before. I called Tyler over and asked him about these large fascinating canvases off to one side of Attila's main space. "Those are mine" he said. "Oh you are painting in this area," I responded, and sure enough I was indeed looking at Tyler's work and I was very impressed. Tyler's colour is good and his brush strokes and gestural marks have the confidence and authenticity of major expressionists. Basquiat and DeKooning come to mind but beyond shallow references my main point is that Tyler struck me as an authentic creator of exciting new paintings. Tyler has real star quality and is an artist to watch and collect." -Noah Becker, New York City, June 2014
http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2014/09/25/tyler-toews-expressive-raw-paintings-full-of-dynamic-energy/
The paintings of Tyler Toews feature bold compositions blocked out in bright colours with loosely representational elements. The work incorporates the aesthetics of street art, from areas of paint drips to the artist's signature scrawled in thick paint like a graffiti tag in the bottom corner of a canvas. Abstract elements merge into faces sporting crudely painted jagged teeth and geometric facial features, creating a unique vocabulary that combines abstract expressionism and gestural painting styles.
“Toews is an artist I met at Attila Richard Lukacs' studio. I know that job as I was also an artists assistant in Attila's New York studio in the 1990s. Other artists who have worked with Attila are Tim Gardner and Eli Langer to name two. Tyler currently works as Attila's studio assistant and has done so for several years. In a section of the studio Lukacs stores new works and giant finished and unfinished canvases. It was in this area of Attila's studio that I saw something I had not seen before. I called Tyler over and asked him about these large fascinating canvases off to one side of Attila's main space. "Those are mine" he said. "Oh you are painting in this area," I responded, and sure enough I was indeed looking at Tyler's work and I was very impressed. Tyler's colour is good and his brush strokes and gestural marks have the confidence and authenticity of major expressionists. Basquiat and DeKooning come to mind but beyond shallow references my main point is that Tyler struck me as an authentic creator of exciting new paintings. Tyler has real star quality and is an artist to watch and collect." -Noah Becker, New York City, June 2014
http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2014/09/25/tyler-toews-expressive-raw-paintings-full-of-dynamic-energy/
News
Kevin Griffin, "Tyler Toews: expressive, raw paintings full of dynamic energy," Vancouver Sun, September 25, 2014
http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2014/09/25/tyler-toews-expressive-raw-paintings-full-of-dynamic-energy/
http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2014/09/25/tyler-toews-expressive-raw-paintings-full-of-dynamic-energy/