KP Projects is proud to present Empire of Dreams, a solo exhibition of works by Eric Nash.

Empire of Dreams captures the essence of daily encounters within Los Angeles, and what the city metaphorically represents. From the 101, to Sunset Blvd, Silverlake, and Casablanca to El Rey, Nash reimagines the quintessential and iconic landmarks of LA as cinematic sets from his internal film noir. When rendered in the dramatic monochrome of light and dark, the charcoal scenes exude a dreamlike quality of seductive angst. Charcoal in its purest form is a specific choice. While a laborious material to work with, it lends a sense of hyper-realism in its dense tonal range that parallels photographic stills.

Visions of Los Angeles conjure images of landmarks, street signs, and advertisements that both entice and beguile. Within these moody oeuvres Nash imbues each setting with mystery and suspense indicative of California Noir. The exhibition title, Empire of Dreams, is a nod to a place where the quest for fame and fortune reigns supreme. Every frozen moment within these quiet compositions captures an ambiance of glamour on the verge of discovery. Transcending time, these portraits of place act as spaces of storytelling.

“Los Angeles ascends – for obvious reasons. Ideas and opportunity fuel grand fantasies that have the potential to become reality. A land of darkness and light – of angels and devils, hope and heartbreak, truth and lies built on an ever changing foundation of grime and glamour. LA is whatever you want it to be – at once magical and humdrum, ugly and beautiful. Unfolding to the horizon for as far as the eye can see. Endless boulevards traversing countless dreams. A place unto itself that inspires the world. It deserves to be documented.

I’m an idealistic realist looking for the quintessence of this place. Each charcoal drawing is a key frame in everyone’s film of Los Angeles. I am on a constant hunt for the right moment. When I find it, I edit it down to show a universal reality we all share. My drawings are classical and purist – velvety black charcoal against pure white cotton paper and my manipulation of light to dark therein. I aim to create an iconic illusion of reality in two dimensions here in the empire of dreams.” – Eric Nash

A lifelong artist, Eric Nash graduated with a BFA from the University of Illinois. He began his painting career in Chicago where he worked as an art director in advertising cementing his interest in universal and iconic imagery. Cinematography, American Pop Art and Realism were and continue to be inspirational influences.

Drawn to California and its legendary landscape and creative energy, he relocated to Los Angeles in 2000. His first studio was in Hollywood followed by Venice Beach where he first came to the attention of noted collectors in the movie industry, Silicon Valley, New York and Europe as well as corporate collections. His current studio is in the Mojave Desert near Joshua Tree National Park. He has been the subject of a wide range of print and online media articles and has had numerous solo gallery shows. Recently he has been featured in museum shows at Laguna Museum of Art, Tucson Museum of Art, Riverside Art Museum and Palm Springs Museum of Art.