Title: When Hell Freezes Over
Size: 94 X 58 Inches
Medium: Oil on Drop Cloth
Edition: Original
Year: 2022
Notes: Hand Signed on Verso.
About:
"It was clear as day—the moon was so bright—and cold and kind of windy; a lot of tumbleweed blowing about. But that's all I saw. Only now, when I think back, I think somebody must have been hiding there. Maybe down among the trees. Somebody just waiting for me to leave." - Bobby Rupp from 'In Cold Blood' by Truman Capote.
Primary is proud to present Godspeed, an exhibition of new works by the New York-based artist Hunter Potter, the artist's first solo with the gallery.
As far back as the 16th Century, crime pamphlets, ballads, and trial accounts piqued the interest of the literate members of the artisan class. These unsavory stories were often celebrated to satisfy common curiosity and better understand the evil lurking about. What lies within the shadow, in that space where we wrestle with temptation?
Through the lens of True Crime, Hunter Potter examines the individual inner conflict, meditates on well-wishing, and further informs his ability to recognize that which is wicked.
"Jesus walked on water, and the devil built a boat. Only one was a miracle, but both of them could float." Potter explains, "when these two bastards show up on the lake and invite you swimming, you better be able to tell the difference."
For Potter, there is an undying passion for the literature of True Crime. The relationship goes beyond the text. The genre is a deep dive into American culture and Potter's familial identity. These stories encourage an individual to seek out light in times of darkness, where one cannot exist without the other.
"I wonder, How do you beat the devil? Denying its existence is a waste of time. The bad news is everywhere, uphill battles are never easy, but you continue. Godspeed!"
Hunter Potter (b. 1990, Syracuse, New York) Hunter Potter studied studio art at the University of Vermont where he graduated in 2013. He moved to New York City in 2015 and spent time sign painting, studio assisting, and art handling while finding his way to becoming a full-time artist. Now focused solely on his own practice, Potter maintains a studio in Brooklyn, New York. Hunter Potter uses a bold color palette and whimsical, geometric figures inspired by American folklore to create poppy paintings that celebrate the minutiae of daily life on a monumental scale.
Potter’s figures often feature society’s underdogs; the criminals, fighters, and runaways he associates his work with are similar to characters in novels by John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, and Larry McMurtry, whose writing influences Potter’s work. Although he continues to create more intimate work, the artist’s enthusiasm for large scale works began when he was apprenticed to paint billboards in New York. Potter was the recipient of the Roger Smith Artist Fellowship at the Vermont Studio Center in 2018 and was awarded residencies in London at the Plop Residency and The Fores Project.