Thaddeus Strode s vibrant large-scale paintings are universes unto themselves: wild mash-ups of California surf and skateboard culture, Zen philosophy, rock music, literature, film, and comic books. "Absolutes and Nothings" marks the artist s first major museum show, presented as part of the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum s Contemporary Projects series.
Strode s images draw on a wealth of motifs inspired by a broad range of sources in popular culture, freely combined with the artist s own creations. The strength and visual pleasure of Strode s aesthetic come from his self-reflexive...