OverUnder by David Salle (데이비드 살레) is a new artwork as an edition by american artist David Salle in five different colors. The edition of the graphic is very low with 20 copies. The images have the Tree of Life as the central theme. In the Skarstedt Gallery in New York were in the fall of 2021 new paintings by David Salle on the occasion of which this graphic portfolio was created: Tree of Life.

In the OverUnder series, a stylized tree vertically bisects the picture plane. On either side are male and female figures in poses that seem inspired by the world of screwball comedy. Salle creates a Garden of Eden replete with canonical symbolism and implied moral conflicts. The juxtaposed protagonists are taken from the work of illustrator Peter Arno, whose cartoons exemplify the sophisticated visual style of The New Yorker magazine at mid-century. The depiction of the male characters ranges from clueless, fearful or desperate to cocky or even predatory. The women are alternately reserved, fearful, amused, or on the run.

These dramatis personae seem engaged in a constant struggle in their awkward separation and misunderstanding, and are often tinged with pathos. Some figures have disappeared in a blur of color, others have their faces covered with colorful leaves. The figures are painted differently, some remaining trapped in their black outlines, while others – gestural and spontaneous – erupt from their contours. Whether gestural or angular, the figures are constructed of clearly defined light and dark shapes that fit together like pieces of a puzzle. This exaggeration of value patterns, the orchestration of lights and darks, has been a feature of David Salle’s painting since the early 1980s. One of his innovations has been to make the world of the printed page – the blacks, whites, and grays – his subject.

The focus of OverUnder is the tree itself. It is stylistically diverse and is often painted in unnatural, bold colors. In some paintings, the tree is bare or infested with a large spiny insect – an equal player in the changeable and multi-layered narratives. Poisonous nature or just nature? In other paintings, the more naturalistic greens and autumnal colors mingle with pinks, blues and purples as leaves draw from their underground sources. Salle creates surprising color harmonies that coexist and sometimes clash with the grisaille palette of the figures.

Unlike David Salle’s early work, which sought to avoid narrative closure, the works in this series OverUnder tell many stories. Combining disparate visual languages with his trademark wit and musicality, David Salle condenses the narrative potential of his characters into a complex yet readable narrative.

Since 1998 the record price for this artist at auction is $795,340 USD for Mingus in Mexico, sold at Christie’s London in 2017.

Current Show: DAVID SALLE ALCHEMY IN LIFE
Lehmann Maupin Seoul, Korea
October 7 through November 13, 2021