Franklin Parrasch Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of new paintings by American artist Mark Gonzales which explore an array of classic themes including religion, humor, eroticism, geometric abstraction, and portraiture. The exhibition comprises 20 small-scale works and will be shown in four parts: each week the Gallery will hang a new grouping, sparsely installed in order to highlight Gonzales’ unique and painterly approach.

In the manner of Philippe Petit or Rémy Julienne, Gonzales pushes the boundaries of physical motion to the realm of intrinsic formal beauty and poetic resolution. As a teenager in Los Angeles in the 1980s, Gonzales became known for his skateboarding which incorporated elements of the urban environment in an unprecedented manner, consequently inventing and executing tricks in locations that are so core to the sport they continue to bear his name. Gonzales’ approach to skating is inextricably tied to his practice as a painter, illustrator, filmmaker, actor, poet, and designer – all of which define his role as a cultural icon.

This exhibition is on view at 20 West 57 Street from September 7-October 4, 2013.