We’re less than two weeks away from the opening of Charles Garabedian: Sacrifice for the Fleet. Produced over the last two years, the exhibition will include 18 large-scale paintings and drawings inspired by Greek tragedies.

The work above, which shares the exhibition title, features King Agamemnon at the onset of the Trojan War sacrificing his daughter Iphigenia to the gods for the promise of favorable winds as ships launch into battle. Playful patterns and colorful hues seemingly diminish the brutality of the scene, and there is an awkwardness to the figures that relegate the horror to that of a theatrical act. 

“I used to make excuses for these flaws in bodies,” says Garabedian, “but not anymore. Those are exactly the things that give the figures life.”

Sacrifice for the Fleet will be on view at L.A. Louver 8 October - 7 November 2015. Join us for the opening reception on Thursday, 8 October, 6-8 pm. More details here. 

A fully illustrated catalogue has been published on the occasion of the exhibition. Visit the publications page on our website for more info. 

IMAGE: Charles Garabedian, Sacrifice for the Fleet, 2014, acrylic on paper, 47 ¾ x 68 ½ in. (121.3 x 174 cm)