Didier Aaron is excited to announce Connect, an exhibition of 35 paintings by Nigel Van Wieck, on view in the gallery April 23 until May 15. Van Wieck, often considered Hopper-esque for his depiction of isolated subjects in desolate urban landscapes, considers his work to be a snapshot of American life, existing within a larger, complex narrative unknown to the spectator. In an interview with Fine Art Connoisseur editor Peter Trippi, the artist states that he is a “storyteller, and the viewer is my audience, but before then, while sitting at the easel, I am the audience member who must be drawn in.” And as Trippi describes in his essay Rooted in the Past, A Vision for Today written for our illustrated catalogue of the exhibition, Van Wieck’s completed compositions guide the viewer’s eye to provide psychological insights that are revealing or enigmatic, prosaic or allegorical. The duplicitous nature of Van Wieck’s work divulges the truth of modern American life while hiding it in plain sight.

Van Wieck (b. 1947, Bexley, England) attended the Hornsey College of Art, which alongside the Royal Academy of Arts is one of the most reputable institutes of art in England. His interest in light led him to study the compositional elements of art to, quite literally, illuminate the narrative and guide the interpretation of the viewer. He has been exhibiting in solo and group shows in the United States and Europe since 1972. This will be Van Wieck’s first exhibition in New York since his showcase at the Beadelston Gallery in 2001. He currently lives and works in New York.