Our feathered friends are always human surrogates in Joseph Broghammer’s art, and these birds have truly gone wild in his current solo show of new work at the Garden of the Zodiac Gallery, opening April 6.
In his first show in many years comprised entirely of oil paintings, Broghammer begins with a familiar aviary, reimagining a favorite of late, the hummingbird. He’s exaggerated their pointy beaks, painting them inky black and turning them into long, twisty roads traveled by silhouetted characters. They have visibly human organs—big ears, biting teeth, twisted colons—and are surrounded by Broghammer’s trademark enigmatic iconography, relating a story only he is privileged to decipher fully. Their appearance is as aggressive as it is intentionally and wonderfully strange.
“Joseph Broghammer: Evets” opens at the Garden of the Zodiac Gallery, 1042 Howard Street in the Old Market Passageway, on Apr. 6 with an opening reception with the artist from 6-8pm; the show runs through May 28. It is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from noon-8:00pm and on Sundays from noon-6:00pm.