David Rhodes' 2013 New York debut at Hionas Gallery featured stark black stripe paintings with emotional minimalism

David Rhodes presented his first New York solo exhibition at Hionas Gallery from September 8 to October 13, 2013. The Berlin-based British painter displayed raw canvases with tripartite divisions, applying black acrylic in parallel stripes using masking tape. This system produced barcode-like patterns where exposed canvas became the signifying element. While visually stringent, the work conveyed warmth through surface textures resembling woodcuts. Art historically, Rhodes' approach recalls Frank Stella's "The Marriage of Reason and Squalor" and early Sean Scully grids, though his minimalism serves emotional rather than purely cerebral ends. The exhibition included varying canvas sizes and works on paper, with perceptual effects creating color sensations and spatial disorientation. Concurrent shows by Ian Davenport at Paul Kasmin and Gene Davis at Ameringer McEnery Yohe provided contrasting contexts for stripe painting traditions. Rhodes' debut preceded a second solo show at Hionas Gallery scheduled for June 2-25, 2016.