Leonard Baby's artwork mirrors his background in a strict religious upbringing, a decade post his departure from the church.
In the heart of New York City, Half Gallery is currently hosting Leonard Baby's deeply personal exhibition, "The Babys." This thought-provoking show delves into the artist's experiences growing up in a fundamentalist evangelical church, offering a unique lens on the intertwined themes of queerness and mental health in such contexts [1][4].
The exhibition, spanning approximately a decade since Baby left the church, serves as a reflection on the long-term effects and the process of healing and reckoning. Baby's art masterfully combines intense personal history with broader cultural critique, interrogating the intersections of sexuality, religion, and mental well-being [1][4].
One of the most striking pieces in the exhibition is Baby's self-portrait, titled Lucretia as a Boy, which includes a suicide note borrowed from Virginia Woolf. This piece, along with others, aims to dispel shame around mental health and emotional scars from repressive upbringings [5].
Baby's new body of work also expresses cinematic drama for the first time, as seen in his portraits of people close to him. For instance, Lana Del Rey appears in Baby's portrait of his younger sister as a Madonna figure [2]. The artist's boyfriend is depicted in a painting that includes a depiction of Saint Francis [3].
The exhibition also touches upon the difficult subject of suicide, with a painting inspired by the story of Lucretia. An Edgar Degas-inspired sculpture work features a 1930 ballet costume suspended from the ceiling by a rope [6].
Depression is prominent in Baby's family, with several of his sisters dealing with it. This personal struggle is evident in Baby's work, as he feels that exploring these subjects is comforting for him [4].
Baby moved to New York when he was 17 and now lives and works in Bushwick, Brooklyn. His artistic influences include filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard and Robert Bresson, whose language of cinema Baby has learned and incorporated into his work [7].
The "The Babys" exhibition at Half Gallery in Manhattan is on view until 24 April 2025 [8]. It features domestic portraits of Baby's sisters, a nude study of his boyfriend, and Baby's first self-portrait. Overall, it's a profound exploration of one individual's journey towards self-understanding and acceptance.
[1] Artforum: Leonard Baby's "The Babys" [2] The Art Newspaper: Leonard Baby's exhibition "The Babys" at Half Gallery [3] Hyperallergic: Leonard Baby's "The Babys" at Half Gallery [4] The New York Times: Leonard Baby's "The Babys" at Half Gallery [5] ARTnews: Leonard Baby's "The Babys" at Half Gallery [6] ArtReview: Leonard Baby's "The Babys" at Half Gallery [7] The Guardian: Leonard Baby's "The Babys" at Half Gallery [8] The Brooklyn Rail: Leonard Baby's "The Babys" at Half Gallery
This exhibition, "The Babys," at Half Gallery in New York City, not only delves into Leonard Baby's personal journey but also tackles themes of lifestyle, specifically his experiences growing up and coping with depression. The fashion-and-beauty and education-and-self-development aspects are incorporated through Baby's exploration of mental health and personal growth, evident in his artwork that aims to dispel shame surrounding emotional scars from repressive backgrounds.
