Beginning this Friday, artist Jason Edmiston returns to the Mondo Gallery in Austin, Texas with a collection of original art for Eyes Without A Face 2, a showcase of 100 new acrylic paintings and preliminary pencils focused on the eyes of pop culture characters from movies, TV, comics, games, and more. The faceless eyes will be presented in life-size proportions, whether they're the eyes of tiny toys or of behemoths. The largest painting in the collection, the largest painting Edmiston has ever done, is 8 1/2 feet tall and 22 feet long.
Edmiston had this to say about the collection:
I've always appreciated the challenge of capturing the essence of a character with just the bare essentials, and most of the time it comes down the eyes. The expression of a subject correctly captured can breed emotion in the viewer, and subtleties can imply volumes. Keeping with the series, these portraits are all cropped to a 3:1 landscape ratio, as if you're viewing these characters through a slot in a door to an exclusive club. I'm sure folks that attend the show will find it to be my most arresting gallery experience to date. Eyes will surround you in 360 degrees, and possibly overwhelm as they stare back at you. I'm working hard to make sure attendees will have a visceral reaction and really enjoy the experience."
Mondo Creative Director and Co-Founder Rob Jones adds that
it's a show you need to catch in person to fully appreciate. Always leaves my jaw twitching on the linoleum to see Jason's skill in the acrylic flesh. The pair of eyes you'll likely notice most at the gallery are Jason's as they excitedly pop while sharing tales of creating this ocular menagerie."
Eyes Without A Face 2's opening reception will be held on February 9th, from 7 to 10pm. The paintings will then be on display from the 9th through the 17th.
In anticipation of the unveiling of Edmiston's collection, we have a preview of some of the art from it. Below we have eyes from CARRIE, GET OUT, DISTRICT 9, and a trio of images that are EXCLUSIVE to Arrow in the Head – THE MONSTER SQUAD’s Gillman, an iconic zombie from Lucio Fulci's ZOMBIE, and Sam from TRICK 'R TREAT.