MAGIC & FLOW
BLACK GURL MAGIC
One series of paintings, entitled “Black Gurl Magic,” features portraits of instantly recognizable Black women such as Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Diana Ross and Laverne Cox, who delighted Hay by “liking” his portrait of her on Instagram. Hay first heard the phrase “Black girl magic” a few years ago in Chicago and felt it expressed “the camaraderie and banter of Black women, wherever they are.” He also noticed parallels — a certain social energy or “flow” — between the culture of Black women and the culture of gay men, and sought to capture that shared spirit in his work.
FLOW
Color, movement, and spontaneity are at the heart of Dave Hay's abstract paintings. Bold gestures, fluid forms, and unexpected combinations of color create a sense of energy that moves across the canvas.
Rather than following a predetermined composition, Hay allows the paintings to evolve intuitively, embracing chance, experimentation, and the unexpected. The result is a playful conversation between color, movement, and emotion.
POP, PLAY & PERSONALITY
Humor, popular culture, and personal experience find their way into this playful collection of paintings. From colorful interpretations of favorite summer cocktails to works inspired by music, friendship, and queer culture, Dave Hay brings a bold graphic sensibility to familiar subjects.
Influences range from the expressive visual language of Jean-Michel Basquiat to the everyday imagery of advertising and popular culture. Bright colors, expressive marks, and unexpected combinations give these works their own distinctive energy.
