Parra No Work Today
No Work Today marked Dutch artist Parra’s debut solo exhibition with Joshua Liner Gallery, on view from November 17, 2016. Featuring twelve new works, including paintings, ink drawings, and sculpture, the show explored themes of leisure and sensuality through Parra’s signature curvaceous forms and bold color palettes. In a notable stylistic evolution, Parra eliminated his previously iconic bird-faced figures in favor of more abstract, faceless nudes that verge on pure shape, emphasizing composition and playful minimalism.
Born in Maastricht, Netherlands in 1976, Parra is known for his instantly recognizable aesthetic that blends pop culture, abstraction, and graphic clarity. His work spans painting, sculpture, illustration, and large-scale murals, with notable exhibitions including a 2015 retrospective at Kunsthal Rotterdam and a mural commission for SFMOMA in 2012. Parra has been recognized with a D&AD Silver Pencil and Dutch Design Award, and has exhibited internationally in both solo and group shows, including the Juxtapoz x Superflat exhibition curated by Takashi Murakami.
Sleeping Lady, 2016, Urethane foam with hard coat, 16 x 28 x 60 inches (40.6 x 71.1 x 152.4 cm)
Olympic, 2016, Acrylic on canvas, 39.37 x 39.37 inches (100 x 100 cm)
She is Arriving, 2016, Acrylic on canvas, 39.37 x 39.37 inches (100 x 100 cm)
The Floods, 2016, Acrylic on canvas, 55 x 39 inches (139.7 x 99.1 cm)
Almost With You, 2016, Acrylic on canvas, 51.18 x 70.87 inches (130 x 180 cm)
Back Pains, 2016, Acrylic on canvas, 39.37 x 55.12 inches (100 x 140 cm)