I am the Sky (Carroll Street Version), 2025
Paul Heyer
Paul Heyer’s paintings envision a fictive world that defies natural order, where form is changeable. His characteristic flowers, trees, butterflies, human figures, and skeletons exist in states of constant transformation. Heyer embraces an impressionistic logic of dissolution and disorientation, suspending his subjects within a non-specific amniotic realm. Hovering at the edge of the material world they simultaneously bloom, evolve, wither, and die, always on the verge of transformation. Activated by energetic brush strokes, his paintings embody transitional moments of becoming.
Humming under the surface of Heyer’s paintings are notions of leaving the body behind, becoming energy or taking a new form, earth as heaven, people as angels and aliens, and the profound joy and vulnerability felt by simply looking to the sky. Heyer sees the sky as a painting that the earth makes itself, all day and all night.
Paul Heyer (b.1982, Olympia Fields, IL) lives and works in Chicago, IL. He received his MFA in
painting from Columbia University in 2009. He has had solo exhibitions at Chapter NY, New
York; Night Gallery, Los Angeles; Green Gallery, Milkwaukee, WI; Soccer Club Club, Chicago;
Mickey, Chicago; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. His work has also been
included in group exhibitions at Lisson Galler, London; Manarat Saadivat, Abu Dhabi; Baader
Meinhof, Omaha; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Perrotin, New York; Park
View/Paul Soto, Los Angeles; Sargent’s Daughters, New York; Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York;
Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago; Rodeo Gallery, London; Young Art, Los Angeles; 356 Mission,
Los Angeles; and Rachel Uffner Gallery, New York; among others.
I am the Sky (Carroll Street Version), 2025
Paul Heyer
Paul Heyer’s paintings envision a fictive world that defies natural order, where form is changeable. His characteristic flowers, trees, butterflies, human figures, and skeletons exist in states of constant transformation. Heyer embraces an impressionistic logic of dissolution and disorientation, suspending his subjects within a non-specific amniotic realm. Hovering at the edge of the material world they simultaneously bloom, evolve, wither, and die, always on the verge of transformation. Activated by energetic brush strokes, his paintings embody transitional moments of becoming.
Humming under the surface of Heyer’s paintings are notions of leaving the body behind, becoming energy or taking a new form, earth as heaven, people as angels and aliens, and the profound joy and vulnerability felt by simply looking to the sky. Heyer sees the sky as a painting that the earth makes itself, all day and all night.
Paul Heyer (b.1982, Olympia Fields, IL) lives and works in Chicago, IL. He received his MFA in
painting from Columbia University in 2009. He has had solo exhibitions at Chapter NY, New
York; Night Gallery, Los Angeles; Green Gallery, Milkwaukee, WI; Soccer Club Club, Chicago;
Mickey, Chicago; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. His work has also been
included in group exhibitions at Lisson Galler, London; Manarat Saadivat, Abu Dhabi; Baader
Meinhof, Omaha; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Perrotin, New York; Park
View/Paul Soto, Los Angeles; Sargent’s Daughters, New York; Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York;
Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago; Rodeo Gallery, London; Young Art, Los Angeles; 356 Mission,
Los Angeles; and Rachel Uffner Gallery, New York; among others.