In his new paintings WEST delves deeper into linear abstraction and expressionism to produce some of the most ambitious and unique post graffiti paintings today. Though not literal in its relationship to graffiti the works express the gestures and rhythms closely associated to his memories as a writer.  But as Freedom Suite suggests there is a detatchment from the formal constraints found in his traditional graffiti art as well his early abstract expressionistic work.

Looking at the paintings over time you slips into the subconscious journey of his line and the emotional weight of his painting where one moves through temperate stages not just in tonal values but with aggressive brush strokes and graphic lines throughout.

Based on a theory of style writing and action painting the works also show his ability to cake history in layers in to these new works. I find them inspired by heritage in some part and in a greater part his way of extending it.

A New Play by Radha Blank
Directed by Niegel Smith

Burnt-out social worker Anne Colleen Simpson decides to leave the field on a high note, with a book detailing her career, but when Chee-Chee, a gifted twelve-year-old from the ‘projects’ collides into her life, she’s forced to confront his young mother and the shadows of her past. Anne and Chee-Chee develop an unlikely friendship that leads to an explosive encounter threatening both their futures.

Infused with the vibrant rhythm and verse of Hip-Hop culture, Seed weaves through the fault lines of a gentrified Harlem, begging the question: How far are you willing to go to protect the future of a community and its children?


September 6 – October 9, 2011
The National Black Theatre
2033 5th Avenue Btw 125th St & 126th St
New York, NY 10035

Over the years, Haze has mastered a strong command for the graphic line,
knowing that the discipline and control of that line equates to
clarity and effective branding. This is how he has been able to distinguish his
career as a designer of visually identifiable products and logos for
many corporations and more importantly the HAZE brand itself, so it is from this point that we must begin to
appreciate his arrival to the current body of work.

When I walked into Hazes studio for a visit with him and his assistant
Carl just prior to the shipping of his new works I was overwhelmed
both by the amount of works on paper and canvas as much as by the
tremendous leap of faith and investment in a totally new direction. It
was a statement of confidence to break from the minimalist works of
his past into a newer and more impassioned and expressive space. The
variation of line work, which constitutes his focus, shows that he
still retains that discipline and is willing to venture deeper into
geometric abstractions the likes that echo early modernism. But not to
be referential he works within the language he knows best,
iconography, style writing, and typography, we can see how if taken all
together he is able to tether these works from his history but not let
them be anchored to it. The new math is multiplying lines, icons,
movements and compositions, these layered affects are not merely
studio exercises but as I eluded earlier they are cumulative of all the
previous works added up.

Ive seen his work evolve over the past few years with a deliberate
patience and focus. By allowing his work to ease into its own space he
has been able to venture out of the comfort zone of both graphic
design and applied medium with The New Mathematics. We saw hints of
this in his 2009 New Abstracts and Icons exhibition in NYC, where Haze
presented very stark and graphic canvases and drawings with a focus on
application and iconography, particularly with the circle and square
paintings and crowns which clearly displayed his command of the brush
and geometric compositions. Taken as a whole the show marked a
starting point in which we would reconsider what his work was and
would become. Eluding to this new math was a series of charcoal and
ink drawings, it is these works that suggested high abstraction would
be the most logical step forward in his work. After that show and many
conversations there after I kept considering that his strength as a
painter lies not in his discipline but the in the challenge of
allowing an undisciplined line to drive his work, that the memory of
his movements be erased and that he would summon the trust of his
talents to lead him into new territory. This is no easy task for any
artist to consider let alone execute, moving out of a comfort zone in
the making and business of art is a risk for many, yet it is my
personal opinion and shared with Haze that if we do not learn from our
works and build upon them we will stifle potential and progress and
here is where his new math adds up.

Simple math predicts conclusive and predictable outcomes, with Eric
Hazes New Mathematics exhibition he summarizes the net results of his
years of graphic and fine art work to convey a new algorithm of line and
geometry that if not a final equation a fair warning of whats to come.