Paul Peng | Ten Futures
Herman Schuler
First thoughts, most of these drawings have swords of one kind or another. There are similarities between Peng’s two shows. Both shows are tough, in a sort of old school way. They are both not in color, and the use of pencil is similar. Different leads for different types of drawings.
Who are these characters? They look like people and creatures. I am not sure if the creatures are knights trying to slay dragons. Swords are used to slay dragons. Damsels in distress from dragons. Damsels in distress need a sword. Might be surprised to find an angry dragon. If you didn’t have a sword you should just run away, and hope the dragon doesn’t catch up with you. That would be an awkward development, because you would probably have to put the dragon out with a fire extinguisher. But what if there wasn’t a fire extinguisher...
Apparently these creatures have too much time on their hands. They are incredibly bored out of their minds and have nothing better to do. They are naked maybe because they ran out of clean clothes. Probably forgot to do their laundry. Instead of wearing dirty clothes they just wear nothing. I hope they don’t get arrested for indecent exposure. I hope these take place in the summertime, because in the winter they would get frostbite.
Who knows who these people are. A mutation. Unusual creatures from a comic book. Mutants that wear everyday shoes.
When you open up a graphic novel, it takes a long time to read. I don’t read graphic novels myself - not my taste. Peng’s work opens my mind to reading more graphic novels though.
See the exhibition at 937 Gallery
