Iridescent Paintings Meld Street Art and Abstraction

In boxing, a shoeshine combination is a flurry of speedy punches, delivered by fists held with fingers facing downwards, as if gripping a rag to deliver a shoeshine. The technique is intended to stun opponents with a rash of quick jabs, and get them to lift their heads so that the shoeshiner can deliver a knockout blow. The Romania-born, Brooklyn-based Adrian Tone is an artist, but his abstract paintings feature pointed, quick gestures, which is why his show at the Elizabeth Houston Gallery is called Shoeshine Punch.

Tone’s iridescent works combine the tradition of abstract painting with that of street art, creating an aggressive dialect that’s all their own. "Exhibiting Adrian Tone's work continues my tradition of supporting the work of artists who not only produce visually stunning art but also push forward into unexpectedly evocative dimensions, creating works that redefine the possibilities of their medium for the future,” Elizabeth Houston tells The Creators Project.

Shoeshine Punch runs at the Elizabeth Houston Gallery until April 3. For more information, click here.

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