Opening tonight, January 4th at Steven Wolf Fine Arts, San Francisco is “Art Work Makes You Free” a solo exhibition by Paul Mavrides presenting  a new body of found-object word paintings that will blow your jaded mind. A longtime devotee of the black arts—that is, black comedy and black velvet, which he’s been known to paint on, Mavrides once again has produced a bitterly funny, bitterly sweet, and just plain bruisingly bitter body of caustic new work. In this new series, a departure from the highly crafted work he’s known for, Mavrides has gone conceptual with deceptively simple gestures that still manage to retain the subversive wit that permeates his best-known work. Sticking with basic colors, he paints short phrases in a stark industrial font on top of hapless paintings whose provenance includes dumpsters and thrift stores. Many are commercial paintings from China and Mexico; others are more personal efforts.

Opening Reception: January 4th, 2014.

“Art Work Makes You Free” is on view through February 15th, 2014.

For more information visit Steven Wolf Fine Arts, San Francisco.