Porter Contemporary is currently hosting We’ll Be Happier Tomorrow,  the gallery’s first solo exhibition of new paintings by Lori Larusso — which I stopped by over the weekend and found to be completely charming.

Through shaped, acrylic panels depicting realist images of mundane objects, Larusso embarks / comments on the American Dream — and the idea of happiness being tied to external consequences — revealing symbolically and metaphorically the twist to having such an unrealistic outlook.

I really loved the vibrant colors and playful presentation of this show, and how Larusso’s shaped paintings balance both painterly and sculptural effects. Dissections of reality and unreality sometimes are combined in multiple panels interacting with a central idea.

By including only the necessary information needed to complete the idea and composition, aspects of a specific situation or environment are isolated and brought to the forefront through Larusso’s unique presentation.

We’ll be Happier Tomorrow by Lori Larusso will be on Exhibit October 12th, 2013 at Porter Contemporary, Located at 548 West 28th Street in the Chelsea Gallery District. Gallery Hours Are Tuesday and Wednesday By Appointment, Thursday 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM and Friday – Saturday 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM.