Josh Jefferson: The Big Ruckus

March 30 - May 6

Sugarlift Gallery presents Josh Jefferson: The Big Ruckus, running through May 6th.

A Josh Jefferson painting announces itself with singular force: sweeping, expressionist, distilled to only that which is vital. Overlapping swirls of color layer on top of and around each other, immersing the viewer in a meditation on their creation. The visual complexity of each painting belies the relative restraint of Jefferson’s process, honed over years in the studio.

Utilizing a deceptively narrow color palette and single custom-made brush, Jefferson says of this work, “By limiting my practice to only the essential brushwork, this method trims the fat to reveal the soft underbelly of intention.” Each of these new paintings hums with gesture and luminescence, teeming with a vitality and drama that leaps off the canvas.

Sugarlift was established in 2014 in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood and has since moved to Chelsea. The mission of the gallery has remained consistent: to help more artists create sustainable careers by connecting them with a larger audience of collectors.

Over the years, the gallery has evolved, embracing technology and pursuing new ways for people to engage with and collect artwork. They are unafraid to change the status quo as long as it benefits artists and dignifies their work.