%20(1300%20x%20379%20px).png)
Nilson GALLERY
May 14 to September 2, 2026​
Exhibit STATEMENT
When we dream, we are often left with a fleeting spark, a fragment of inspiration that lingers just long enough to take form. This exhibition emerges from that space, where imagination and memory intersect.
​
In this body of work, Justin “Lefty” Lefkowitz merges his deep appreciation for abstract expressionism with the visual language of animation that shaped his early life. Rather than recreating familiar imagery, he reinterprets it through a process-driven approach that is entirely his own.
​
Each painting is built through an intensive layering technique, often consisting of dozens, and sometimes over a hundred, layers of paint. What begins as an indistinct surface gradually evolves into compositions rich with depth, movement, and subtle form. The result is work that invites both close inspection and emotional response.
​
Viewers are encouraged to look carefully. Within the layers, familiar shapes may begin to emerge, hidden references embedded within abstraction. Texture, color, and depth work together to create pieces that are as tactile as they are visual, evoking a sense of curiosity, nostalgia, and discovery.
About the Artist
Born in Staten Island in 1991, Justin “Lefty” Lefkowitz began painting in 2016 during a period of serious health challenges. Faced with an inability to process audio and visual stimuli due to an undiagnosed illness, painting became both an outlet and a means of navigating his condition.
​
Following diagnoses of Lyme disease and Bartonella, Lefkowitz continued to develop his practice, working within the realm of abstract expressionism. Influenced by artists such as Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, his work embraces movement, spontaneity, and layered complexity.
Central to his process is the repeated application of paint, building surfaces layer by layer until a composition emerges. This technique creates a distinctive sense of depth and texture, with forms gradually revealing themselves over time.
​
Lefkowitz’s work also reflects a desire to reinterpret familiar visual culture through abstraction, blending nostalgia with contemporary practice. Beyond the studio, he remains actively engaged in his community, supporting numerous charitable organizations through both his artwork and philanthropic efforts.
​
His work has been featured across various media platforms, including MSG Networks, and continues to reach a growing audience of collectors and supporters.
