These paintings are the answer to your friends’ endless Facebook albums of street art they discovered on vacation. Greece, Washington D.C., Lima — look, people write on walls here too! Le sigh — quality over quantity despite user-friendly upload options, please (unless you’re Steve Rotman).
Jessica Hess — whose work will be on display at White Walls starting Sat/3 — creates captures that fight the point-and-click street art photo glut. Check out the Boston-based artist’s paintings of scenes that she’s a. found on her urban wanderings/as the title of her solo show suggests, found her on her urban wanderings or b. she’s spray-painted in her head. Maybe c., a combination of the two, exist somewhere in there as well.
It’s not the first time photo realistic paintings of graffiti have graced this city’s gallery walls — but something in Hess’ take our breathe away. Maybe it’s the particularly beaming quality of light in them, or just the thrill of seeing a familiar overpass or garage door rendered in fine art form.
Hess also creates porcelain statues of aerosol paint cans — and then paints graffiti designs on them! Does she use spray paint to do this? Totally messing with our heads.
Jessica Hess: “It Finds You”
Through September 24
Opening reception: Sat/3 7-11 p.m., free
White Walls gallery
835 Larkin, SF