Franchise Gallery presents Joy Crisis? a solo exhibition by Eric Elms. The show features 6 paintings and 9 framed works on paper. 

The work represents a sort of personal renaissance for Elms. His career as a multi hyphenate creative has always included painting, but in this show Elms’ intention is to eliminate boundaries. The work exists in an intersection of graphic, collage and painterly processes. With this convergence comes the inherent push/pull relationship between the abstract and representation. The approach to these works is both calculated and intentionally joyful. 

Each piece is a unique compound of hand manipulated constructed elements. Pivotal to the work is the custom made canvas that is treated with rubber dots, giving a nod to the halftone used in printed imagery. The dotted canvas is further manipulated by heat, which is used to melt pvc ink collages into the fabric. The repetition is also a deconstruction, an attempt to break away from the addiction to representation. What remains is born from the chaos and chance of destroying the image, blurring the focus nearly to the point of abstraction. 

Sitting atop each piece are curated trompe l’oeil style adornments. Nostalgically pulled from a personal collection of ephemera and detritus the icons used have been contextualized and translated to painting as an act of preservation. Appropriation here is synonymous with appreciation. 

The resulting work is born of Elms inventiveness. These paintings are both a celebration of the printed image and a mourning of its fleeting relevance.