BOY | Scott Avett

In Boy, Avett turns inward, using humor and tenderness to open up a more introspective space. The works return to the figure of the boy, not just as a subject, but as a point of view holding curiosity and vulnerability in equal measure. There is a consistent thread of sonhood throughout the exhibition as well, part of Avett’s awareness as father to sons and a son himself. In this way, the work also quietly gestures toward the idea of the “son of man,” folding Avett’s own reflections on faith and identity into a broader human frame, where boyhood, sonhood, and manhood are never fully separate, but always in conversation.

Boy is a continuation of Avett’s contemplation of faith, career, and family where Avett is able to capture both ordinary and extraordinary moments in paint. Avett depicts both images of saints and angels, but also his young sons. The works are arresting yet comedic, bringing together the mundanity, vulnerability, joy, and humor of boyhood.