Superchief Gallery LA is pleased to present the exhibition of Space Angels , a new body of work by Bunnie Reiss , known for her vibrant murals, featuring over two dozen new paintings, sculptural pieces, installations, quilts and more. This is her first solo exhibition in two years.

Space Angels , is Reiss’ exploration of a new fantastical universe that may be born from the conflicts that currently embroil the world, the paintings depicting its colorful inhabitants in her signature style of abstract, folk-art portraiture. She describes these figurative works as our “imaginal selves,” created as we retreat from the chaos so we can cocoon and dissolve our current circumstances, then come out completely new, all the way down to our gooey cellular form. “Our souls might just be saved and rise up from land to somewhere in the stars,” says Reiss in her artist statement. “We could go back to the basics of kindness, compassion, a deeper understanding of the human condition, and reread all the ancient books given to us by Mother Nature.”

A new mural wall built from quilts, collage and painting will will depict the futuristic landscape of this imagined universe. The world will further be grounded in reality with a handful of new sculptures and installations, including a massive ‘spaceboat’ that will be at least 22 feet long. She describes the fantasy world of Space Angels as one where “boats are spaceships, the insides of trees are full of glitter, and nature has begun to regrow, stronger and more beautiful than ever. We will learn how to fly, how to communicate just by looking directly into the eyes of another human being. No words, no gestures, just deep understanding, full of warmth and remembering.”

Reiss travels extensively each year, and over the summer she trekked 7,000 miles over a three month period in a truck custom-painted in her own style, creating murals, camping, and connecting to people everywhere she went. “I’ve always loved to travel, but on this trip, I was really on a mission to fall in love with this country again,” Reiss explains.

“It’s so hard for people to even come home at the end of the day and say they had a good day,” she says. “I hope while people are viewing this work it makes them feel better, even for five minutes.”

Bunnie Reiss was born in Maryland, but raised mostly with the wide blue skies of Colorado. She studied literature, and worked for NPR and other outlets while quietly painting on the side. Magic, mysticism and the stars slowly crept into her consciousness, and she began almost obsessively studying anything she could get her hands on about these subjects. With her need to travel slowly pushing her all over the world, she eventually left Colorado and relocated to San Francisco, which at the time was a hub for creativity and guerrilla art. Her almost 15-year life there included an MFA from San Francisco Arts Institute and years of creative incubation in the wild streets. She became herself here, as well as found her community of artists.

After a small stint in France, and a few other areas around the US, Bunnie relocated to Los Angeles to pursue larger mural and installation based projects. Her work is heavily influenced by her Eastern European background, with its tradition of folk art, bright colors and community engagement. She has shown extensively in both the United States and around the world, in galleries, alternative spaces, bookstores, abandoned buildings, fields and forests, or any place that seems to need a little extra magic. Her brightly colored folk murals decorate many countries and can be found all over the globe. Los Angeles, Mexico, Italy, Paris, India, Philippines, Detroit, Milwaukee, New York, San Francisco are just a few places you would likely stumble upon one.