Raandesk Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of portraits by Jason Bryant and Kevin Cyr, on view from January 14 - March 12, 2010. Comprised of some 10  large-scale paintings, the exhibition will include Jason Bryant's photorealistic depictions of celebrity archetypes and Kevin Cyr's large-scale vehicle portraits. Having first met as assistants at Kehinde Wiley Studios, Bryant and Cyr will show their own work together for the first time, each showcasing his unique style and approach, as they intersect, depart, and ultimately converge under a pioneering spirit toward the practice of portrait-making. 

Using vehicles on the streets of his Brooklyn neighborhood as his subjects, Cyr pulls cars, trucks, and vans out of their pedestrian settings and brings them into the arena of studio portraiture. Old and distressed vehicles are seen in a new light, as their distinct personalities are brought to the forefront. Like wrinkles on an aging face, the vehicles' marks of wear and tear become their very signs of character, life and beauty.

Cyr's works are set alongside Bryant's portraits of Hollywood-like subjects; aggressively cropped, works provide intimate human portrayals without ever revealing the subjects' eyes. Iconic skateboard graphics overlaid onto portraits appear to jump out from the picture plane in boldly colored and polished explorations of iconic imagery in its many forms (see Dune (2009), oil on canvas, 24" x 24" above). Bryant and Cyr's works unite in the exhibition as they invite viewers to uncover new meaning, find alternative points of focus, and lift the veil on traditional portraiture.