NATHAN BRAD HALL - “Undercurrents” at Gallery Victor

Nathan Brad Hall, I love You the First Time, oil on linen, 80" x120"

I recently received an email from an old friend who wanted to make sure I knew about an exceptional exhibition that just opened at Gallery Victor in Chicago. He thought I’d be interested, given a series of large-scale male figurative paintings I created in the early 2000s—meditative works exploring the moments between sleep and waking. In those paintings, I used dramatic contrasts of light and dark, “chiaroscuro” inspired by my passion for the paintings of the Italian master Caravaggio. Naturally, I was excited to see the exhibition. So, this past weekend, I ventured out to the River North Gallery District to view the large-scale paintings and charcoal drawings of Nathan Brad Hall.

I wasn’t disappointed. The exhibition is visually stunning—filled with atmosphere, nuance, and a sensitivity to the human experience. Each painting offers a bold and emotionally defenseless rendition of the figure, inviting the viewer into a space of raw vulnerability. Hall paints human emotion—capturing quiet moments of introspection—the moments when we consider possibilities or confront our fears. Through subtle gesture and expression, Hall paints not just the human body, but the emotional undercurrents that run beneath the surface of the flesh.

Nathan Brad Hall, Day Break, oil on linen, 58" x 58"

Lighting becomes a secondary character within Hall’s compositions. At times, it's harsh—emphasizing the musculature of the figurative form. This approach is evident in Day Break as well as in many of Hall’s charcoal-on-paper works. Yet the romantic use of dappled light is also central to his practice. In I Love You the First Time (oil on linen, 80” x 120”), Hall utilizes filtered light for a dreamier effect, with highlights and shadows flowing across the figure and fragmenting the picture plane into abstract areas that guide the viewer’s attention through the composition. The level of detail commands the viewer’s attention: the hair appears dimensional, and the eyes seem to peer directly into the viewer’s soul.

With subtle references to the dramatic realism of Caravaggio, Nathan Brad Hall creates evocative modern meditations of presence, power, and vulnerability. He paints the human form with precision. The depiction of flesh is flawless in its imperfections—both beautiful and scarred, emerging from darkness into stark focus. The compositions are cinematic, yet emotionally intimate. 

The Undercurrents exhibition continues through August 30. Gallery Victor is located at 300 West Superior Street, Chicago, Illinois 60654. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday 11-5. Additional Information can be found at galleryvictor.com

Nathan Brad Hall, Haven, charcoal on paper, 29.5" x 23.5"

Nathan in the studio with I Love You the First Time

Nathan Brad Hall lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. His work has been widely exhibited and is held in private collections across the U.S. and internationally.

“The Journey is what makes it truly exciting” BRUNO SURDO

Bruno Surdo, "A Selfie, A Pink Unicorn, Paparazzi! What does it take to get noticed?" oil on canvas, detail

When I first met Bruno Surdo, he was a professor of illustration and animation at The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago. Back then, his reputation for flawlessly rendering the human form was common knowledge. Not until roughly 2014 did I have an opportunity to experience his massively complex figurative canvases which referenced his personal impressions of contemporary society. That exhibition was presented at the Ann Nathan gallery in Chicago. Since the closing of the iconic Ann Nathan Gallery in 2016, Bruno Surdo has been represented by Nathan’s colleague Victor Armendariz, owner of Gallery VICTOR.

Bruno Surdo, "A Selfie, A Pink Unicorn, Paparazzi! What does it take to get noticed?" oil on canvas 79 x 108"

This past Saturday afternoon, as part of the Chicago Exhibition Weekend 2023, Gallery VICTOR presented an artist talk with Bruno Surdo—highlighting the artist, his process, and marking the conclusion of Surdo’s current exhibition. The exhibition offered both the massive compositions of interacting figures—imagery that Surdo has become known for—as well as a few amazingly intimate portraits, seemingly sketches for inclusion into larger canvases. It’s these brilliant studies that I gravitate toward. 

Bruno Surdo, "Reflection" oil on canvas 30 x 24"

“Reflection” offers the viewer a quiet moment to get lost in beautifully painted patterns of texture and surface. This single-figured portrait captures the interest of the observer by repeatedly offering new and exciting details to explore. With the subtle highlights falling upon the subject’s sensual lips and eyelashes, to the detailed complexity of her hair, “Reflection” ensnares the viewer into a corner of the mind where time becomes irrelevant. Even the background creates brilliant secondary interest with a uniquely random pattern, which Surdo explained, was inspired by the observation of aluminum foil.

As Surdo discussed his inspirations and process, he shared that the preliminary drawings for each painting are key to the final work. He defined stacks of renderings for a single canvas—and that the drawings are resolved on the canvas before beginning to paint. He also pointed out that, if an area of a painting wasn’t working, he had no problem wiping it away and beginning again. As he put it... “The Journey is what makes it truly exciting.”

Although the exhibition has concluded, works by Bruno Surdo are still available through Gallery VICTOR located at 300 West Superior Street, Chicago IL 60654. Gallery VICTOR is open Tuesday through Saturday 11am to 5pm. Learn more at www.galleryvictor.com

BRUNO SURDO (b. 1963, Chicago)
Bruno A. Surdo is a true native of Chicago. He studied drawing and art history and pursues the mastery of the human form with inspiration from the Renaissance masters. His provocative works center around the human condition and are known for their allegorical imagery. Bruno has had numerous shows and commissions, and his work is held in many prestigious art collections around the world. He lectures often and is a teacher who believes in nurturing others. The artistic forms he has created are images that communicate a personal commentary on the issue or question in mind. These shapes are then arranged in a pictorial space using the human form. Surdo strives to communicate a message to the viewer - to engage the person in a conversation between what he puts forth and what he or she can then interpret. The interchange of response and curiosity are goals the artist set when composing his ideas. Surdo believes art is a continual form of expression and he feels committed to search for a language that brings his thoughts and feelings to the surface.