Willa Wasserman

Willa Wasserman’s paintings unfold in a state of continuous emergence, weaving figuration with material experimentation to evoke dreamlike atmospheres. Her forms—at times loose, translucent, or barely manifest—are shaped by the subtle interplay of texture, light, and surface, placing transformation itself at the core of her visual language. She masterfully bridges histories of classical painting and material culture with contemporary expressions of queerness, working on substrates that range from linen to polished bronze and copper. Her method often harnesses chemical processes—linseed oils aging, silverpoints oxidizing, caustic reagents patinating metals—imbuing her works with a delicate, evolving radiance that mirrors their thematic depth. Wasserman’s compositions conjure tender, spectral silhouettes that articulate questions of intimacy, selfhood, and metamorphosis. Ethereal gestures and shimmering surfaces become metaphors for identity in flux—fleeting, transient, and perpetually in formation. Through this blend of techniques and sensibilities, her paintings become poetic sites of longing and transformation, inviting viewers to inhabit spaces where form dissolves into memory, and where being is always becoming. ...

Since 2009, François Ghebaly has presented an innovative, eclectic program of Los Angeles-based and international artists. With a history of identifying and championing diverse voices and emerging talent, the gallery’s roster has grown to include 27 artists and 2 artist estates, ranging from early career, such as Sharif Farrag and Ludovic Nkoth, to mid-career, like Christine Sun Kim, Meriem Bennani, Kelly Akashi, Farah Al Qasimi, and Genesis Belanger, to well established, including Sayre Gomez, Kathleen Ryan, Neïl Beloufa and Candice Lin as well as underground legends, like Patrick Jackson and Mike Kuchar. The gallery advances the reach of its artists’ visions by publishing exhibition catalogues and producing artist editions. Located since 2013 in a 12,000 square foot warehouse space in Downtown Los Angeles, the gallery is a mainstay of the burgeoning Arts District community, and recently expanded to New York's Lower East Side. François Ghebaly’s program demonstrates a commitment to challenging work across all media and to fostering the progressive, boundary-pushing practices of its artists. ...