Zahar VAKS

SLAG&RX is delighted to announce Rap Painting, featuring  recent works by Zahar Vaks. This marks Vaks's first solo exhibition with SLAG&RX - New York.

In Rap Painting, Zahar Vaks transcends boundaries, ignites emotions, and skillfully layers metaphors, just like a rap performer crafts words and rhythm to convey vibrant stories and social critiques. Whether it's the visual poetry of the paintings or the poetic verses that seamlessly flow through the beats, both art forms possess the power to inspire, incite change, and leave a profound impact on their audiences.

At the heart of Vaks' practice lies an intricate dance between concealment and revelation. Like a skilled weaver, the artist interlaces complex layers of meaning into his work, challenging the viewer to gaze beyond the surface. This visual dialogue between the seen and unseen is punctuated by the use of unconventional materials that add depth and texture to his canvas: the organic blend of balsam fir resin with its earthy companions — moss and clay, the delicate balance between the ephemeral and the eternal with found objects like lighters and meteorites, all set against the poetic backdrop of oxidized cherry juice.

Rap Painting is an ode to the persistence of memory, the strength found in vulnerability, and the unspoken power of art to bear witness to the unbeatable human spirit.

About the artist, Zahar Vaks

Zahar Vaks (b. 1983, Tashkent, Uzbekistan) received his BFA from Tyler School of Art and his MFA from The Ohio State University. His artwork has been exhibited in various cities including New York, Philadelphia, Columbus, Las Vegas, Beijing, Houston, Vienna, and the island of Svalbard in Norway, just to name a few. In 2018, Zahar Vaks was invited to participate in the prestigious Rauschenberg Residency. He was also an artist-in-residence at the Galveston Artist Residency from 2012 to 2013. Notably, Zahar Vaks is the recipient of the 2023 Rema Hort Mann Foundation Grant. Currently, Zahar Vaks resides and works in Brooklyn, NY.