The late Roy de Forest once said, “Create art that makes you happy.” Best known as a “California funk artist,” he was skeptical of artists who took themselves too seriously. For De Forest, art was more of a release, a form of play and expression. He painted colorful fantasylands in splashy colors, and filled them with magical moments and objects from his past: dogs and farm animals from his childhood in the state of Washington, and imagery from his dreams. With 37 paintings, this virtual exhibition is the most comprehensive survey of De Forest’s work since a 1975 exhibition at the Whitney. —E.C.

Roy de Forest
Venus Over Manhattan
120 East 65th, New York, NY 10065, United States
Get Directions »