Dustin Myers' 'Perfectly Normal' Exhibition at Thinkspace Projects

Dustin Myers presented 'Perfectly Normal' at Thinkspace Projects in Los Angeles in November 2023. The exhibition features oil paintings of young characters in awkward school-photo poses, with exaggerated facial features expressing a range of emotions. Titles like 'Melancholy Paulie' and 'Stinkpot Susie' reference Garbage Pail Kids. Myers critiques beauty ideals and perfectionism in a filtered world, painting faces with creases and frowns as more real than digitally enhanced images. He teaches art at a continuation high school in Santa Ana, which influences his themes. Myers uses an Old Masters technique with underpainting and transparent layers, working on multiple paintings simultaneously. He draws from caricature and photography, creating digital collages for references. The series includes works like 'Melancholy Paulie' and 'Stinkpot Susie,' the latter featuring a corpse flower. Myers plans a 2024 solo show with custom frames sourced from flea markets. He balances teaching, painting, and gym time, painting three to four hours nightly.