“Luscious Lady Takes a Stroll in the Lush” by Alake Shilling.
PHOTO BY STEFAN ALTENBURGER, COURTESY PALM SPRINGS ART MUSEUM
Los Angeles artist Alake Shilling brings her colorful, childhood-inspired creatures to the museum’s fledgling Outburst Projects program with an exhibition running from Jan. 27 through Aug. 5, 2024. “I’ve always found that plush creatures can soothe and comfort,” the artist has said. “I thought it would be interesting to have these characters embody the human condition so that the tables turn, making the view become an acces- sory of comfort.” Her paintings and sculpture drive narratives about companionship, risk, and reward. “There is a dialogue between me and each character. The characters are more of an emotion. They embody a feeling.”
- READ NEXT: Artists discuss their El Paseo sculptures.