JOHNNY DEFEO, KEVIN SABO, and JEFF WIGMAN
FRIENDS FAIR, VOL. 2
KDR | RM. 214

This year’s booth frames each artist’s work as a way of building imagined worlds— paintings that feel familiar at first glance, yet unfold into idealized spaces and figures that exist more in the mind than in reality.

Johnny DeFeo unveils a vision of his retreats, where contemplation lingers and imagination weaves each scene. Wrapped in a tapestry of whimsy and wonder, his work blends humor with both wild and crafted beauty, inviting viewers to drift between realms. His paintings unfold like dreamscapes, where landscapes emerge within domestic frames, blurring the line between the familiar and the surreal. Marking both an invitation and a meditation on the act of escape—encourages viewers to shift their gaze, wander through imagined terrains, and experience nature’s wonders through the eyes of its creatures. Each painting becomes a portal, beckoning one to pause, peer through these “windows,” and lose themselves in the magic of the in-between.

Kevin Sabo’s inspiration stems from a lifelong fascination with femininity - the things that feel wonderfully stylized and delicious. Fashion, music videos, drag culture, interior design, hair, and makeup all drive his choices of form and distortion. His figures are not so much statements on womanhood as they are vessels of style and expression, inviting viewers to recognize these characters and expressions within themselves. The simple prompts he gives these figures extend that invitation, a mirror held outward. Their cartoonish qualities soften any potential intensity, as humor and joy remain deeply important to his practice, even as emotional intricacy always finds its way in.

Jeff Wigman uses boundless humor, irony, and melancholy as a playful yet profound blend of historical references and archetypal imagery. His work reflects a deep technical exploration reminiscent of Flemish art while pushing the boundaries of traditional naturalism and style. The subjects go through an alchemical transformation, turning complex themes into visually compelling narratives. His paintings are rich in anachronisms and visual dissonance, with feelings of affection, some captured in marveling storybook landscapes. Each work invites viewers to engage with the symbolic space of mind and meaning, where even the most mundane phenomena can seem like paradise.