Currently on view! Gabe Cortese’s solo exhibition ‘Nothing Good Happens at Night’ is currently on view through December 3, 2022. Nothing Good Happens at Night follows the relationship between a protagonist and a delicate flower from golden hour, through the night and finally to early dawn. The protagonist’s large, elegant body is at odds with the tiny flower as he grapples with their dynamic; he can’t help his clumsy and often brutish ways. Throughout the series, he moves through his emotions on an operatic scale from anguish to giddiness to seduction. The daisy, ever present, remains constant and indifferent to the protagonist's overtures. The protagonist's bold gestures take shape with Cortese’s swift, powerful lines; the figure is resplendent with curved spines, springy toes, deft fingers, and a wide, open chest that exaggerates his emotions. The elongated form, reminiscent of those in Mannerist paintings, is ensconced by blooming clouds within a world of shadowy yellow, purple, and orange tones casting a mystical aura. Using familiar archetypes like the dreamer or tragic hero, Cortese examines the queer, male form with a flamboyant pear-shaped body, strong calves, and soft, pillowy curves. It’s a love note to a beautiful and authentic body freed from the aesthetics and idolatry of brawny masculine figures. @gabecortese @mblosangeles #GabeCortese #mblosangeles #mbgallery