Monya Rowe Gallery is pleased to announce the first New York solo exhibition by Calli Ryan titled Across the way. The opening reception for the artist will be held on Thursday, May 14, 6-8 PM.

Ryan favors calm Morandi-like colors with variations of earthy greys, browns and warm yellows. The paintings are harmonies of light and color with subtle shifts to emphasize a moody atmosphere. Through careful editing and unexpected compositions Ryan creates a mysterious and unidentifiable tension. Each painting equally weighs presence and absence.

Across the way highlights the protagonist’s interior world against a backdrop of populated high-rise buildings, isolated suburban neighborhoods and domestic interiors. Individuals appear lost in thought balancing loneliness and solitude in the modern era. The work reflects a heightened psychological state while poetically conveying a strong sense of individuality. The stillness of Edward Hopper (1882-1967) and the tenderness of David Byrd (1926-2013) are both felt.

Ryan’s visual storytelling ranges from figurative to landscapes to cityscapes to interiors to still lifes. Along with memory and imagination, images of doll houses are a source of inspiration for ideas to materialize. As the title of the exhibition suggests, Ryan explores personal space and boundaries, with a hint of voyeurism. Peeking through a stranger's window or fixating on the neighbors across the street highlights a voyeuristic strain of the innate human curiosity.