E-catalogue to gallery exhibition of the same name, September 5–October 4, 2024.
David Ligare’s commitment to history painting presents something of a paradox: a contemporary artist devoted to the past, seeking ancient solutions to present-day problems, defying the status quo by embracing tradition. For over forty years, he has embraced classicism as a means of renewing humanity’s passion for knowledge, frontrunning a new kind of renaissance. In A Specific View, his fourth solo exhibition at Hirschl & Adler Modern, David Ligare presents nine new paintings that build upon his resolve to follow his own set of rules.
Unfettered by time and uncorrupted by civilization, Ligare’s landscapes of the Monterey region in California embody an ancient idealism, taking the form of an American Arcadia. His landscapes are bathed in the late-afternoon sun of “the golden hour.” In using the language of sunlight, Ligare imbues his work with life, highlighting the beauty of idealistic thought.