christian Little
futuristic primitive mixed media
amagansett

“A mix of depicting the natural world and this psychedelic weird spatial one.”

you may never have been part of a water skiing pyramid. maybe you’ve only seen tandem bicycles on tv. still, these make you smile from the inside out at the campy, fresh, outdoor activities synonymous with spending time with family. so what’s new here?

the execution. a flat, dreamy blue background. flat, gold leaf figures and masks. there’s a sense of fun, but also a sense of the quiet, disruptive kid in the back of the room. you’re mostly sure the art is laughing with you, but there is that part of it that makes you wonder if it’s actually laughing at you. and the irony is it feels good. it’s almost like a hall pass—you are now free to feel ok about what you do not know.

“i like to depict groups of people having a good time together…[and] i like to balance that with a little weirdness…otherwise it’d be just three people waterskiing. i always like having something working against itself.”

the masks are a big part of this. the meticulously cut papers fit together, leveling the figures to one interpretation. the anonymity of these figures prevents the viewer from attributing character to any one likeness, thus no one individual stands out more than another. the experience cannot be altered, and the sense of community stays front and center. subtly, it also forces the viewer to connect to another culture.

but mainly, it’s about fun. and let’s face it, there’s enough angst and headiness in art. thank you christian.