Wes Lang open's solo exhibitions at Newport Street Gallery & HENI Gallery, London

From 27 September 2024 to 9 March 2025, Damien Hirst's Newport Street Gallery stages an exhibition of 89 never-before-exhibited paintings by the American artist Wes Lang. It is the first exhibition of the acclaimed artist's work in the UK.

Titled The Black Paintings, the exhibition features works produced between 2022 and 2024 that are populated by Lang's distinctive group of characters, namely his favoured skeleton, but also animal-like and otherworldly beings. At times set against completely obscured, dark backgrounds, while at others lush landscapes, Lang's compositions are story-like.

Alongside the show at Newport Street Gallery, an exhibition of 96 works on paper by Wes Lang goes on show at HENI Gallery, 27 September to 22 November 2024. While Lang’s paintings are dense with colour and imagery, his drawings are lighter, leaving broad and contemplative white spaces on the pages. Often, these works on paper include text, sometimes integrating phrases that echo Taoist philosophy, while other times using more personal expressions. Text and image frequently appear to be incongruous, encouraging viewers to engage further with the works and uncover meanings for themselves.

Newport Street Gallery
1 Newport Street London, SE11 6AJ
Dates: 27 September 2024 – 9 March 2025

HENI Gallery
6-10 Lexington St, London, W1F 0LE
Dates: 27 September 2024 – 22 November 2024