CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION
Hennage Demolition, acrylic on canvas, 42 x 69 in, 1984
Orange Cab Demolition Split, acrylic on canvas, 30 1/2" x 38" , 1995
Yellow Cement Mixer, acrylic on canvas, 21 3/4" x 24" , 2007
Big Red, acrylic on canvas, 40 1/2" x 60 1/4", 1990
Wrecking Ball, acrylic on canvas, 27 3/4" x 27 1/2, 2000
Maiden and Demolition, acrylic on canvas, 12" x 48" ,1990s
Little Red, acrylic on canvas, 12 1/4" x 22", 2000
Dome and Construction Squared, acrylic on canvas, 14" x 13", 1990
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Having chosen not to pursue Architecture, his dream as a youth, Val Lewton found ways to incorporate his love of spaces, shapes and buildings. He had arrived in Washington, DC as the newly developing field of Museum Exhibit Design began its growth, and found his home. By the 80's another growth was happening in the Gallery Place area, the beginnings of gentrification. Huge efforts at demolition were underway, accompanied by bulldozers, diggers, wrecking balls and cranes, resulting in exposed and shattered edifices... a treasure trove for this urban landscape painter. Sharing glimpses of 'the life that had been", now partially demolished, but partnered with the machines of destruction responsible, Lewton, in his painting, formulated the shapes, colors and light from that moment in time into beautifully painted architectural visions, Later as buildings were constructed, Lewton's interest progressively flagged. He preferred the rich detail of the work in progress.