Solitude is a blissful state–a certain stillness enthralled with power. Through her fictively introspective paintings, Danielle Mckinney emphasizes the divergence between solitude and loneliness. Following her 2021 solo exhibition, Smoke and Mirrors, the New Jersey based painter returns to downtown Los Angeles’ Night Gallery with her newest series, Metamorphic. 

Encompassing Mckinney’s personal auteur, the series tells a story of transformative self discovery. The painted vignettes emulate women in scenes of deep contemplation and serenity.  Combining her photographic background with her knack for storytelling, the artist seamlessly embeds undertones of spirituality and sensitivity to create uniquely intimate spaces. 

Mckinney’s past works use acrylic paint to create her signature mix of deep earthy colors. Metamorphic, however, marks her first collection of oil-based paintings. This transition is in itself a metamorphosis–in both metaphorical and chemical sense of the word. The process of oil painting alters each layer of paint as they interact, bringing yet another level of richness and narrative to the canvas.

The dark ambience of her paintings are contrasted alongside the stark white walls, each one being carefully folded along the structure of the gallery space. The vast areas of negative space that stand between each painting are as much part of the story as the works themselves. The small rectangular paintings invite the viewer to observe close-up, creating a sense of intimacy between the individual and the scene.

In addition to Metamorphosis, Night Gallery is also home to three other noteworthy exhibitions, on view through June 24th. Alongside Mckinney, painter Elaine Stocki has returned for a second solo exhibition at Night Gallery, titled Wild Braid.  Brie Ruais’ third exhibition with the gallery Daughter, You Seem Foreign to Me, an exhibition of new ceramic sculptures and ephemeral, site-specific work is on display along Chris Curreri’s exhibition of photographs and sculptures, One Eye Open, artist's first show with the gallery.