Absurdly Superficial Solutions Rule Toni Hamel’s Witty Paintings

three men attempt to hang giant orange fish among a structure that appears like the great wave of kanagawa

“Kabuki II (the performance),” oil on canvas, 20 x 24 inches. All images courtesy of CK Contemporary, shared with permission

While scientists and researchers attempt to find innovative solutions to climate devastation and other global ills, Toni Hamel (previously) takes an unorthodox approach to ingenuity. With her unique brand of satire, the artist imagines a world of pure futility, in which geese are affixed to strings suspended from the sky and a massive air freshener replaces living pine trees. When disaster strikes, she suggests, some people gravitate toward the simple, superficial fix and in the case of “In Lieu of Better Days,” choose to spend their time painting a rainbow despite destruction on the horizon.

The paintings shown here are included in Hamel’s forthcoming solo show running from July 6 to August 3 at CK Contemporary in San Francisco. Until then, dive into an archive of her absurd scenes on Instagram.

two men raking underneath a royal pine green car air freshener on a skinny trunk

“The Gardeners,” graphite and watercolor on paper, 15 x 18 inches

a man paints a rainbow while a massive funnel appears above a distant mountain

“In Lieu of Better Days,” oil on canvas, 18 x 18 inches

a woman in a green dress hangs geese from strings suspended from the sky

“The Flock,” oil on canvas, 24 x 24 inches

three women stitch colorful sequins onto a massive fish

“As Beautiful as Rainbows,” graphite, watercolor, and hand-stitched sequins, 22 x 30 inches

two women in blue dresses attach pink flowers to a large plant

“Ikebana X (foxglove),” oil on canvas, 18 x 18 inches

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