Erin Milez - My Right, Your Left
My Right, Your Left
Oct 6 - Nov 12, 2022
Erin Milez
Oh, Grape, 2022
flashe, acrylic inks, colored pencil, and watercolor crayon on paper
Two parts, each:
24 x 18 in (61 x 45.75 cm)
Overall dimensions:
24 x 36 in (61 x 91.5 cm)
the right hand doesn’t know what the left
hand does.
my right hand doesn’t know what your left
hand does.
my right, your left
that way is
this way.
overwatered
underwatered
overcooked
undercooked
taking it out
putting it in
putting it out
taking it in
lights on
lights off
warmer
cooler
trying to find the
just right
i was waiting on you
you were waiting on me.
my right hand can’t remember what my right
hand did
your left tells me,
i was waiting on you.
we say anything that comes into our heads
is it helping or hurting.
sometimes i wish i had two of the same hand
- Erin Milez
ARTWORKS
Erin Milez
Oh, Grape, 2022
flashe, acrylic inks, colored pencil, and watercolor crayon on paper.
Two parts, each:
24 x 18 in (61 x 45.75 cm)
Overall dimensions:
24 x 36 in (61 x 91.5 cm)
Erin Milez
On Your Right¸ 2022
flashe, colored pencil, and watercolor crayon on paper
30 x 22 in. (76 x 56 cm)
Erin Milez
Fork You, 2022
colored pencil, watercolor crayon, acrylic inks, and oil pastel on paper
30 x 22 in. (76 x 56 cm)
Erin Milez
All Thumbs, 2022
flashe, colored pencil, watercolor crayon and oil pastel on paper
30 x 22 in (76 x 56 cm)
Erin Milez
Remote Control, 2022
flashe, colored pencil, and watercolor crayon on paper
30 x 22 in. (76 x 56 cm)
Erin Milez
Need a Hand, 2022
flashe, colored pencil, and watercolor crayon on paper
24 x 18 in (61 x 46 cm)
Erin Milez
Take the Weight Off, 2022
flashe, colored pencil, and watercolor crayon on paper
24 x 18 in (61 x 45.5 cm)
Erin Milez
Got It!, 2022
flashe, colored pencil, and watercolor crayon on paper
16 x 12 in (40.5 x 30.5 cm)
Erin Milez
Shoo Fly Don’t Bother Me, 2022
Acrylic inks, colored pencil, and watercolor crayon on paper
12 x 16 in (30.5 x 40.5 cm)
Erin Milez
Keep Them Out, 2022
colored pencil, watercolor crayon, and acrylic inks on paper
16 x 12 in (40.5 x 30.5 cm)
Erin Milez
Flip the Switch, 2022
colored pencil, watercolor crayon, and acrylic inks on paper
12 x 9 in (30.5 x 23 cm)
Erin Milez
Head Butt, 2022
flashe, colored pencil, and acrylic inks on paper
12 x 9 in (30.5 x 23 cm)
Arsenal Contemporary Art New York is pleased to present Erin Milez’s solo project, My Right, Your Left. Milez’s recent work has addressed the interpersonal dynamics of domestic partners, within the context of proliferated digital culture. Featuring a suite of new multi-media paintings on paper, the exhibition focuses on physical engagement in order to explore modes of emotional intimacy.
Milez’s practice is concerned with the choreography of figures and their non-verbal communication. Her work focuses on the significance of everyday life and the menial tasks required by it, which Milez argues are not mundane but rather significantly represent a sense of creation and love. Furthermore, she has reflected upon the relationship between intimacy and body language through the metaphor of duet ballet performances.
With this new series of works, Milez portrays an unsynchronized and, at times, clumsy engagement of couples' bodies. The organic connection of a couple holding hands is not apparent, rather we can view the figures’ hands and heads awkwardly morphing into one another, suggesting a sense of miscommunication. The intensely labored paintings present couples echoing each other’s body language but failing to be in concert with each other, highlighting the nuances of artistic and human expression.
THE ARTIST
Erin Milez (b. 1994, Chicago, IL) lives and works in Bayonne, NJ. Milez received an MFA from New York Academy of Art, NY and a BA from Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA. Recent exhibitions include Lorin Gallery (Los Angeles, CA), Daniel Raphael Gallery (London, United Kingdom), Badr El Jundi Gallery (Marbella, Spain) and Monya Rowe Gallery (New York, NY). In 2020 she was the recipient of the Elizabeth Greenshields Grant.