Brook Hsu’s Glowing Paintings at Sant'Andrea de Scaphis

Vacant expressions dwell in the gazes of Brook Hsu‘s phantom-like figures, now on view in a solo exhibition at Sant’Andrea de Scaphis in Rome, organised by Gladstone Gallery.

With references drawn from popular culture and art history, Hsu’s tiny paintings are rendered in a luminous green wash that amplifies the surreal nature of the ghostly worlds she creates.

In several of the works on view, Hsu depicts eerily familiar faces gazing impassively out towards viewers. Hsu’s delicate line drawings and varying tones of jade evoke an illusory interpretation of characters we perhaps once knew.

Sant’Andrea de Scaphis is host to a handful of memorable exhibitions and Brook Hsu’s show is no exception. Hung on the derelict walls of the small chapel, the New York-based artist’s paintings form a glowing green line that stretches across the sacred space.

Hsu’s in-demand status continues to rise as Kiang Malingue—who recently took on a new name and new exhibition space in Hong Kong—added her to their roster.

Main image: Exhibition View: Brook Hsu, Sant'Andrea de Scaphis, Rome (15 December 2022–February 2023). Courtesy the artist and Gladstone Gallery, Brussels.