Exiting the 110 degree heat at the end of a brutal Los Angeles summer and entering into Matter Studio Gallery to view Brian Atchley’s Being Matter, one name immediately jumped to mind: Robert Mapplethorpe. And for those who visit this show who are familiar with Mapplethorpe, I’m sure he’ll come to mind as well. The immediate comparison between Atchley and Mapplethorpe is an easy step to take, and is a comparison that Atchley welcomed – to my surprise. While I have neither the authority nor desire to attempt to unpack the complex history of Mapplethorpe’s work, it’s suffice to say that he is controversial across the board. Conservatives found him offensively explicit, and many others were quick to point out the fetishization of Black men as deeply problematic (See: Notes on the Margin of the Black Book by Glenn Ligon for a far more informed investigation.)

But there is a critical difference between Mapplethorpe and Atchley: Atchley is a painter, and a very good one. The ultra-realistic portraits do not objectify or overly-sexualize their subjects like Mapplethorpe’s portraits; in fact, the sheer amount of care and attention paid to the tiniest detail of these paintings demonstrates an overwhelmingly empathetic eye, as opposed to Mapplethorpe’s depersonalized photography. And while the black-and-white compositions with their large range of values and emphasis on light evoke Mapplethorpe, the emphasis is more on Atchley’s technical ability than the subject matter. Atchley wants us to focus on the light itself, not whatever the light is hitting.

Though the monochrome portraits are technically brilliant, my favorite works were his “Suspension” series, which is his most recent series of works. Here, we see a departure from the grounded, Mapplethorpe-esque portraiture. These three works – Jackson, Celena, and Diego – represent an evolution for Atchley. He is no longer singularly focused on light, but also explores color, movement, tension – all while preserving the fine detail and focus on musculature that can be found throughout his work.

Matter Studio Gallery
5080 W Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90019
Show runs through Oct 11th
Appointment Only — No Walk-Ins