In The Sweet Bye & Bye was a retrospective of Kilgallen’s work at REDCAT in Los Angeles. The show featured over 50 pieces, including two recreated wall paintings.
This amazing 208-page program documents and contextualizes hundreds of her works and features a revealing interview with the artist as well as comprehensive essays by REDCAT curator Eungie Joo and Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts curator Alex Baker.
Like many of her peers, Kilgallen’s paintings were inspired by the streets, graffiti, and music. Setting her apart were specific influences: hand-drawn signage, hobo train writing, and Appalachian banjo music.
Inspired by rural sens-ibility rather than urban hipsterism, her use of forgotten letterforms and hand-crafted style–bolstered by her depiction of strong female characters—reached back to create a new legacy.
