Luke Chueh's 'Negative Space' Explores Isolation at Corey Helford Gallery

Los Angeles-based painter Luke Chueh will present his solo exhibition 'Negative Space' at Corey Helford Gallery from June 27 to August 1, 2026. The show features his signature anthropomorphic characters—endearing yet melancholic figures set in pared-down compositions. Chueh uses visual economy to heighten emotional tension, exploring themes of detachment, sorrow, and isolation through dark humor and whimsy. The artist describes the exhibition as a reflection on a visual language he has developed over more than 20 years of painting, emphasizing the emotional potential of empty space. Works include 'Crowded' (48 x 60 in), 'Irreparable Damage' (16 x 20 in), 'Commodified' (48 x 36 in), 'In the Palm of My Hands' (30 x 24 in), 'Waiting' (18 x 24 in), 'Exhale' (20 x 16 in), 'Ursus Igneus' (40 x 30 in), 'Versus Nature' (24 x 48 in), and 'Blue Dawn (Staring Into Shadows Revisited)' (30 x 24 in). Chueh's practice merges pop visuals with contemporary surrealism, creating universally relatable artworks that invite viewers to project their own feelings into ambiguous narratives.