AFA of SoHo opens a new exhibition entitled Strange Visitors, a solo exhibition of new, original work by Travis Louie, on view from October 17th – November 11th, 2014. The Artist will be in attendance for an opening reception on Saturday, October 18th, 6pm – 8pm. The event is free and open to the public, RSVP requested.

The oil paintings and liquid graphite drawings of Travis Louie depict formal portraits of individuals marked by abnormality. The subdued tones and soft hues of his palate create an old-world atmosphere, often complimented by familiar emblems of popular eras spanning from Victorian to Vaudevillian.

Each portrait is accompanied by biographical or anecdotal text that encourages the viewer to look past the physical. These intimate revelations are what differentiate Louie’s strange visitors from everyday strangers encountered in the real world, whose individual oddities are either up for interpretation or stowed neatly out of sight. Abnormality is normal, it is simply a matter of whether it exists on a sleeve or in a closet.

Travis Louie is a Queens native and grew up near the site of the 1964 World’s Fair where mid-20th century popular culture, technology, and ideology was exhibited. Space travel, and with that the idea of otherworldliness, saturated the public consciousness. These influences along with his love for science-fiction, horror movies, sideshows, EC comics, and pulp fiction inspire Louie’s work.

Louie graduated from Pratt Institute with the intention of being a free-lance illustrator. He shifted his focus to painting and has now exhibited in showrooms internationally. He has been published in various magazines including Juxtapose, HEY!, American Art Collector, Rue Morgue and Joia. His artwork is currently on the cover of Hi Fructose Magazine, vol. 34.

All images: © Travis Louie