JPS Gallery is pleased to present Not At The Dinner Table, Paul Hunter Speagle’s first solo exhibition at the gallery’s Tokyo location. Born and raised in North Carolina, USA, Speagle creates a new series of paintings that offers an intimate look into domestic households that have been saturated with the excessive media reports about global issues. By pinpointing how unlimited access to an endless stream of news compromises human connection, communication, family values and relationships, Speagle offers new insight into matters that viewers may have overlooked or have become emotionally desensitised to.
Speagle grew up in a household where the phrase “not at the dinner table” was said whenever topics such as politics, religion and sex were brought up as it was considered inappropriate for conversations at family dinners. He believes that “the root starts with our family”, therefore, his brilliantly coloured exuberant paintings are meant to raise awareness amongst viewers in the hopes of generating a dialogue leading to positive change. With that in mind, Speagle’s works are a visual testimony of how issues such as global warming, cancel culture, transgender rights or the struggle of small businesses, to name a few, have arisen over the recent years due to the lack of in-depth communication concerning these topics.
Although the individual works present complete stories in and of themselves, when viewed together a larger narrative emerges, one that encourages viewers to first solve the problems within their homes so it can create a ripple effect of positivity throughout the world.
Opening Reception: Saturday, 22nd October 2022, 5 – 8 pm
Exhibition Dates: 23rd October – 20th November, 2022
Venue: JPS Gallery (Tokyo), 1/F, Tobu 2nd Building, 6-27-4, Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, Japan