Goathaus gallery presents new paintings and site specific works by Chicago artist Ellen Greene (b. Kansas 1975). Ellen Greene is best know for her meticulously painted “tattooed” gloves which take traditional masculine visual language of tattoo and subvert the iconography into feminine hero narratives. The dominate themes in her work are motherhood, pop culture, sex, death and love.
“Welcome Home” is an immersive installation of new work by Ellen Greene. Located in an abandoned house (Goathaus Gallery) in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood , Ellen Greene’s elaborate figurative oil paintings and sight specific installations activate the domestic space with emotional complexity. Viewer become voyeur as the intimacy of the small home and its evidence of the life that was once lived inside interacts with the characters that inhabit the paintings.
The paintings on display were created during a two year period of intense artistic and personal growth during which Ellen shifted from painted gloves to large scale oil paintings. Freeing herself from the confines of the glove shape to the canvas generated space to stretch the narratives around feminine identity. Placing the paintings inside an abandoned house, activate those narratives further by literally spilling out into the space. Cabinets are encrusted with stickers, paint and glitter ooze from appliances, the lines between home and studio are burred. The whole house is a work of art.
Ellen’s work has been shown with Packer-Schopf gallery, Aron Packer projects, Firecat gallery, YardDog in Austin, Blue Gallery in Kansas City and numerous other galleries and museums in the US and abroad. Her work has been featured in Bust, Raw Visions, Skin Deep, and Italian Glamor magazines.
Welcome Home will be available for viewing during limited daytime hours to maximize natural light. Appointment times may be made with the artist via her website: artbyellengreene.com. No more than 2 people may enter at a time. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Heels or dress shoes are discouraged, closed toe flat shoes are highly recommended. There are elements on the floor that may adhere to shoes. Booties will be provided.