The Cave

Jorge Elbrecht

Laura Larraz

Edouard NG

October 8th - November 13th, 2022

Le Maximum is thrilled to present The Cave, a show of new works by Jorge Elbrecht, Laura Larraz, and Edouard NG. The exhibition will run from October 8th to November 13th, 2022. A reception will be held on October 8th from 6-8 pm. 

The cave is a void that is often associated with levels of perception and strata of consciousness. In his famous allegory of the cave, Plato describes a prison house of illusion to which we are unconsciously confined, while light represents the power of understanding through reason. Confusion arises “either from coming out of the light or from going into the light, which is true of the mind's eye, quite as much as of the bodily eye.” The artists in this show correspondingly explore the limits of figuration and abstraction while probing the ambiguities of reality and perception. In their work light refracts from colors and surfaces, while gesture circumscribes a field of bodily desire. In a world shuttling between crisis and distraction, the cave is a refuge for the mind’s eye at the threshold of an uncertain real.

Jorge Elbrecht (born San Jose, Costa Rica, 1978) is a music composer, performer, and visual artist. His paintings juxtapose landscapes painted with seemingly traditional methods and innovative abstract works. This approach draws on an understanding of the artistic self as multiple, contradictory, and performative: characters such as the old man and his youthful assistants dwell in these paintings as fictive authors, pointing towards a divide in the artist. Recent exhibitions include Fata Morgana, Le Maximum, 2021. Elbrecht holds an MFA from Columbia University, New York, NY.

Laura Larraz (born Zaragoza, Spain, 1989) is a painter based in Berlin, Germany. Her work explores painting as a vehicle for performative expression and signification. Often incorporating installation, collage, and multimedia elements, Larraz opens painting to spatial and informational flows. Recent exhibitions include Wh0resofmordor, Bendix Building, Los Angeles, CA, 2021. Larraz holds an MFA (2021) from ArtCenter, Los Angeles, CA. 

Edouard NG (French-German) lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. NG uses unconventional materials such as acrylic panel and automotive paint to produce luminous, gestural works. Often inspired by landscape or anatomical references, NG's practice is informed by anthropology, mythology, and poetry. Recent exhibitions include For some bags under the eyes, sans titre, Paris, 2021. NG holds an MFA (2018) from Pratt Institute, New York, NY. 

Le Maximum is open Saturday and Sunday 1-6 pm, and by appointment.