Adele Renault: Things I Can't Unsee: LOS ANGELES
3 - 31 May 2025
painting of a eucalyptus tree with the los angeles skyline in the background. tree has graffiti tags all over it

Good Mother Gallery is pleased to present Things I Can't Unsee a solo exhibition by Adele Renault.

 

The rugged terrain of Los Angeles has long inspired Adele Renault, highlighting nature’s ability to survive—and even thrive—within the harsh conditions of a metropolis. Many of the city’s iconic plants, like palm trees, are not native, yet they’ve become part of its cultural fabric. In this way, flora mirrors the people—both rooted and uprooted—who shape the city’s identity. Highways cut through neighborhoods like fault lines, dividing communities yet creating new landscapes where resilience takes root.
 

In Things I Can’t Unsee, Renault expands her focus to the aftermath of recent wildfires, capturing not destruction but endurance. Some images leave a permanent mark—charred trees, scorched landscapes, and the silent presence of nature after catastrophe. Trees still stand, holding memory, bearing witness to generations past, offering solace to those who will be rebuilding.

 

This series includes small-scale portraits of urban flora and larger landscapes that frame them in their environments. Renault’s process begins with photography, capturing fleeting moments before meticulously translating them to canvas. Whether a severed cactus, a sewage mossy growth, or a eucalyptus towering over concrete, her subjects embody transformation. Many stand in states of decay, reinforcing nature’s cyclical rhythm.

 

Renault’s technique blends spray paint’s atmospheric depth with the fine detail of oil paint, creating hyperreal yet surreal compositions. The ordinary becomes monumental.

Ultimately, her work is a meditation on survival—of plants, people, and communities that endure despite forces threatening to erase them. These are things she can’t unsee—and neither will we. Nature is not a passive backdrop but an active participant, shaping and being shaped by the city’s history.

 

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 3rd from 5-8pm

On View: May 3rd - May 31st, 2025

Location: 5103 W. Adams Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90016

Gallery Hours: Wednesdays - Saturdays 11am-5pm

 

For more information or to request a catalog of available works, please email info@goodmothergallery.com

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