At the heart of the presentation is the painting #117-2 (1976), which has never before been shown publicly. Measuring 276 cm in width and commanding the wall with its presence, this early acrylic painting embodies key aspects of Reed’s practice: the combination of painterly gesture and conceptual structure, the exploration of pictorial space and temporality, and the characteristic multi-part composition of his work. In #117-2, two visually distinct, horizontally oriented image sections enter into a dynamic and tension-filled relationship.

In addition to other large-scale vertical paintings, the exhibition also features the vertically oriented Painting #559 (2006) alongside the Working Drawing for Painting #559 (2006). This pairing provides special insight into Reed’s working methods and his conceptual engagement with image-making. The working drawing documents structural considerations and visual studies that are taken up and further developed in the final painting. The juxtaposition of study and finished work clearly demonstrates how Reed’s gestural painting is interwoven with meticulous planning. Complementary color studies further illustrate Reed’s systematic investigation of color and composition.

David Reed’s work exists within a complex field of tension—between the gestural vocabulary of Abstract Expressionism, the reflections of Conceptual Art, and influences from film, photography, and digital image production. His paintings engage in an open dialogue with art history, while simultaneously addressing questions of perception, pictorial space, and time.

With this exhibition, Häusler Contemporary offers a focused insight into the oeuvre of an artist who continues to expand and question the language of painting.