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Eighteen years ago, I met Hunter Speagle for the first time when he walked into my Upper West Side studio, carrying a six-foot-tall thumbtack and a four-foot-tall box of crayons that, remarkably, actually functioned. These crayons, crafted by Hunter himself with a secret recipe in his kitchen, exemplified his creative spirit. At the time, he was immersed in developing a series of giant functional sculptures of everyday objects for a museum exhibition.
Fast forward two decades, and Hunter has established himself as a distinctive voice in contemporary American art with an international presence. His work is represented by JPS Gallery in Hong Kong, which has facilitated exhibitions across Asia and Europe—markets that increasingly celebrate his work. This fall, I have assumed the role of his art dealer for the Americas.
In his latest series below, Hunter draws heavily from personal experience, translating intimate narratives into expansive, epic paintings that incorporate symbols from mythology and Christianity. He refers to this body of work as “Mythyologyanityism.”
Though formally trained, Hunter employs a rebellious, inventive approach to oil painting. He arrives at the canvas with physical vigor and a commanding presence, using a paintbrush to tame his medium’s inherent unruly tendencies and challenge its limits. His work evokes both urban grit and rural serenity, experimenting with light, brushwork, and composition to craft paintings that are immediately recognizable. See his Full Exhibition List.
Keep scrolling to view his work.
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