Eva Lewis
Disparate
April 1 - May 1, 2022
PRESS RELEASE
LaiSun Keane is proud to introduce Eva Lewis, a 2022 Boston University MFA candidate, in her first major solo show. Lewis paints feminine identifying subjects in the style of figurative history paintings, drawing inspiration from their formal composition and use of symbolism while depicting scenes and figures that subvert and comment on historical depictions of women.
Lewis' intelligently executed paintings utilize soft but saturated colors, exploring the use of light and color as a way to evoke emotional response in the viewer. Her familiar yet dreamy settings feature subjects drawn from her own friend group from her hometown of Dayton, Ohio. The works feature women engaging in ordinary activities, such as swimming and gardening, creating a sense of immediacy and alluding to a narrative going on just beyond the edge of the canvas. Lewis employs formal compositional elements such as circles, crowded surfaces and the bending or breaking of the body, all functioning to draw the viewer into the space and create a sense of understanding between viewer and subject.
Lewis, who graduates in May, has been gaining notice in Boston with several group exhibitions. Disparate at LaiSun Keane Gallery includes three never-before-seen works. All works were completed in 2021 or 2022.
AS FEATURED BY BOSTON ART REVIEW
Mark Your Calendars: Eight Shows to Check Out in Greater Boston This Spring
At a time of year when it’s possible to live through all four seasons in the course of a week, a new show at LaiSun Keane offers some relief. There, in lush oil paintings by 2022 Boston University MFA candidate Eva Lewis, we are treated to unmitigated summer. Whether stretched out on a lawn, perched on the edge of a lake, or chatting under the glow of a porch light, Lewis’ women—her work centers on feminine identifying subjects—all revel in the warmth and ease of a perpetual July dusk.
Skillfully, the paintings invite you to do the same. The point of view is often intimate, the twists and bends of the figures draw your eye in, and the tones—fire-lit or sweetly sepia—are sleepy and nostalgic. One can practically hear the crickets chirp.
Originally from Ohio, Lewis has made waves in recent months in a number of group exhibitions throughout the city; “Disparate” is her first major solo show. She’ll be one to watch out for, so be sure to stop by SoWa in April. – Jessica Shearer
AS FEATURED BY THE DAILY FREE PRESS
BU grad student ‘tackles’ women objectification with South Boston art exhibition
Eva Lewis, a soon-to-be master of fine arts graduate of painting at Boston University, currently has her artwork on display at the LaiSun Keane gallery in the SoWa Art and Design District near South Boston.
Lewis’ art generally focuses on female-identifying peoples in different spaces, such as nature or domestic spaces.
She said she draws inspiration from personal memories and that many of her paintings may be loosely based on mythological stories. Lewis explained how Greek and Roman mythology often relied on the objectification of women for the sake of symbolism, which is what primarily sets her apart from traditional Renaissance artists.
Photo Credit: Dan Watkins