Andrew Reed Gallery is excited to announce Derring-Do, the gallery’s first solo exhibition of work by Brooklyn-based artist Kyle Staver, following her inclusion in two prior group shows at the gallery. This is the artist’s first solo exhibition in Miami. The show opens this Saturday, May 31st with an opening reception from 6-8pm and will be on view through July 3rd. 

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Derring-Do is an apt descriptor for the protagonists across Staver’s recently completed works on paper and paintings. The term, first appearing in medieval times and popularized by Chaucer, is defined as “action displaying heroic courage.” These characters confront mortality head on, as in the large-scale Death and the Maiden, attempt to tame the untamable, or valiantly gallop into battle. Fairy tales, such as Rapunzel and Goldilocks, show self-assured women confronting large bears with teeth bared. Staver’s interest in these allegorical scenes stems from their peak moments of dramatism, which she conveys in impastoed, energetic brushwork. 

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Death and the Maiden is emblematic of the artist’s decades-long practice, showcasing her adept mastery of light and manipulation of oil stick. The scene is illuminated from the left side of the composition, with this glow casting onto both the fiery, red hair of our female protagonist and the cascading waterfall behind her. Underneath the maiden’s garment, we can just make out the outline of her leg. This allegorical scene becomes imbued with an autobiographical tinge when we spot the "T.K. + K.S." carved into the tree (Staver’s and her husband Tom's initials). 

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An apt art historical precursor for Staver might be Henri Rousseau, for her equivalent interest in the power and prowess of beasts and animals. Whereas Rousseau belonged to the Naïve movement, for Staver, the comparison stops there, as her quick brushwork belies moments of highly intentional detail. Fierce flicks of red paint indicate the mouths agape of our bears, lions, swine, and wolves. These creatures size up their counterparts – oftentimes female, in the work on Staver – who keep them at bay with their cunning and charm. 

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In the suite of eight jewel-like paintings in Derring-Do, Staver presents us with an array of allegorical narratives. Some are instantly recognizable from childhood. Staver plays off this nostalgia and has us reconsider the underlying themes in these tales. These paintings oftentimes correspond to larger-scale scenes, but Staver considers them standalone works, going back and forth across scales to test out the optimal staging of characters and lighting. In the three works on paper in the exhibition, Staver paints with oil stick to such a degree that the monoprints underneath are hardly visible. In the Death and the Maiden rendition here, like in the larger painting, she etches out the paint as well in curlicues, adding further depth and lyricism. The maiden’s aquamarine garment trails behind her, flowing like the waterfall in the aforementioned painting.