MOVING THROUGH MEMORY
Austin TX, Summer 2023
"We are honored to host Preston Douglas, an extraordinary talent who has redefined boundaries in the art world, integrating elements from fashion to painting to create works of profound resonance."
Preston Douglas, a Houston-born artist known for his groundbreaking work in the intersections of painting, fashion, sound, performance, and installation, will open a new exhibition, "Moving Through Memory", at our gallery this Saturday, June 24, from 7 to 9 p.m. Douglas, born in 1995, began his artistic career in fashion, before transitioning to painting. This move was inspired by his interest in the two-dimensional representation of his fashion projects, rather than the practical utility of the clothing pieces themselves. Drawing from his extensive background in fashion and printing techniques, Douglas found painting to be the perfect vehicle to explore his fascination for image creation.
Douglas's innovative artistry challenges traditional norms in painting by extending beyond conventional mediums like canvas and linen and utilizing various fabrics and tools. His pieces are celebrated for their sculptural attributes, viewing the stretcher bar akin to a body, adorning it with fabric as one would on a human figure. Douglas's recent CTHRUME paintings highlight his innovative approach to overcoming the flatness of printed paintings, employing transparent fabric to add depth and dimension. In Douglas's work, performance and installation elements characteristic of his fashion background are intertwined, transforming the gallery space into an immersive environment designed to evoke a spiritual response from the viewer.
Douglas’s creations have graced galleries in London, New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, and Houston, and he has curated exhibitions on numerous platforms. In 2021, he was invited to the Macedonia Institute Residency in Chatham and was a recipient of the prestigious Rauschenberg New York Foundation for the Arts grant. Douglas also served as the lead studio assistant for renowned artist Mark Flood before relocating to New York.