(New York, NY –January, 2023) – Cavalier Gallery presents works from Guy Stanley Philoche’s newest series, “Give Us Our Flowers,” paying homage to black historical figures and everyday cultural figureheads. The works will be part of a group show on view at Cavalier’s brand-new gallery space at 530 West 24th Street from now through February 25th.
The “Give Us Our Flowers” series was born out of heartbreak when Philoche’s best friend passed away suddenly in November. After attending his funeral, he saw how loved his friend was by so many people, but soon came to realize that many were not able to express their love when he was alive. This sparked inspiration and out of tragedy Philoche created a body of work that honored those unsung heroes that have paved the way for the future generation.
The series spotlights icons such as James Baldwin, Jackie Robinson and Lena Waithe painted in black and white, surrounded by a simple presentation of daisies, Philoche’s mother’s favorite flower. Everyday figureheads can also be found in the collection with a mother and her two sons and a young girl jumping rope with a shirt that reads My Body, My Choice, My Rights.
“After the funeral I couldn’t stop painting my friend’s portrait and started thinking about others that had never received their praise,” said Philoche. “The people in my works are painted in black and white, allowing for the viewer to focus on the subject matter at hand. I wanted to make sure to call out specific people like Lena Waithe, but also different archetypes like the mother who is working every day for a better tomorrow for her two sons.”
A dedicated philanthropist, Philoche has made an unwavering commitment to help his fellow artists since the devastating toll the pandemic took on the art community. Throughout the last few years, he has purchased over 150 works of art from up-and-coming global artists, creating The Philoche Collection, which he continually adds to each month. Philoche’s talents have been recognized most recently by Essence Magazine for the new series as well as CNN, People Magazine, Reuters, Time Out New York, NBC New York, Palm Beach Daily News, the Kelly Clarkson Show, the Tamron Hall Show, and more.
The group show will also feature works by William Nelson, Adam Umbach, Jim Rennert, George Rickey, Mark S. Kornbluth and Terry O’Neill.
Works will be on display and available for purchase at Cavalier Gallery at 530 W 24th Street. Exhibition hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 10 AM -6 PM and by appointment. For those interested in checking out the exhibition outside of open hours, appointments can be scheduled by calling 212-570-4696 or email: art@cavaliergalleries.com.
Further information can be found at www.cavaliergalleries.com and www.philochestudios.com. Instagram: @guystanleyphiloche and @cavaliergalleries.
About Guy Stanley Philoche
Haitian-born modern artist Guy Stanley Philoche immigrated to Connecticut when he was three. As the middle child of three boys and coming from a family of sports enthusiasts whose passion he didn’t share, Philoche turned to art as his calling. While remaining close to his Haitian Roots, Philoche was the only son to buck his culture’s tradition of the entire family living together and struck out on his own – first attending Paier College of Art and then Yale. He now lives in New York City. For the past 15 years, Guy Stanley Philoche has been attracting international attention with his work and his impressive roster of solo shows. As an artist, Guy’s palette is strong and sophisticated. His layering technique has created a body of paintings so richly textured that one can hardly hold back from reaching out and touching the canvas. In fact, it is the artist’s intent and wish that the viewer will follow their desire to reach out and feel the different textures of his canvases. His work is for the viewer’s pleasure, to be fully enjoyed from a tactile standpoint, and he has varnished the canvases for exactly that reason.
