Gus Van Sant
Untitled (Hollywood 14), 2019
Watercolor on linen
84 x 62 1/2 inches (213.4 x 158.7 cm)
© Gus Van Sant Photo by Argenis Apolinario Courtesy the artist and Vito Schnabel Gallery
After painting on the side for years, Gus Van Sant puts the practice front and center for his NYC solo show.
When you hear the name Gus Van Sant, you probably think of the auteur behind indie classics such as Drugstore Cowboy and My Own Private Idaho or Hollywood hits like Good Will Hunting. Most likely, you don’t think of him as painter, but that’s what he studied at the Rhode Island School Of Design (RISD). After setting aside his art to pursue film, it’s front and center again with his New York solo gallery debut at Vito Schnabel Projects. Titled “Hollywood Boulevard,” the show presents nine haunting canvases of nude men traipsing through Los Angeles. Sitting in the gallery dressed in a jean jacket worn over a black T-shirt and pants, the mild-mannered Van Sant talks about his show and the part L.A. plays in the paintings.