Robert Nava's 'Bad' Painting Challenges Contemporary Art's Polished Aesthetics

Robert Nava's unrefined artwork brings back the traditions of 'bad' painting, favoring a raw aesthetic over refinement. His pieces, such as 'The Psychology of Ares' (2022) and 'Half Angel, Half Alien 3' (2022), feature mythological beings and video game visuals. This style echoes Marcia Tucker's 1978 'Bad' Painting exhibition at the New Museum, which included artists like Joan Brown and Neil Jenney. An example of this tradition is Jenney's 1969 work, 'Man and Machine.' Raised in East Chicago, Nava discovered his passion for painting in seventh grade at the Art Institute of Chicago and later obtained an MFA from Yale, where he honed a 'deconstructive mode.' In November 2020, Pace Gallery announced his representation. His creations, influenced by B-movie horror and video games, celebrate imperfections and naive brushwork.