The Alchemy of Choice: Austin Alphonse's Oasis at Vardan Gallery

Austin Alphonse, After Hours, 2024, oil on canvas, 44x84

By ARTEM KOROLEV September 16, 2024

A man reclines in a plastic lawn chair, his sunburnt skin a stark contrast to the pastel desert landscape behind him. A crescent moon hangs in the sky, while a case of Keystone beer—his only companion—rests at his feet. This image, part of Austin Alphonse’s debut show Oasis, invites us to consider the interplay between choice and circumstance, the weight of generational trauma, and the possibility of transformation.

I visited Austin Alphonse at his studio in Frog Town, a small garage-like space tucked in the backyard of the artist's house. Surrounded by large-scale canvases, I found myself fully immersed in the world he's built. Don't be fooled by the fact that Oasis is his debut show. The smooth pastel tones, his precise technique, and his ability to convey metaphorical yet clear messages reflect his background in graphic design. Alphonse's use of color and light is reminiscent of Edward Hopper's iconic Americana scenes. Like Hopper, Alphonse captures moments of solitude and introspection, but infuses them with a surreal quality that speaks to inner turmoil. The artist's approach to portraiture, particularly in his depiction of male figures, recalls the work of Lucian Freud in its firm examination of the human form. Alphonse's surrealist touches, such as the man with a seagull perched on his head surrounded by snarling dogs, bring to mind the dreamlike qualities of René Magritte's work. Like Magritte, Alphonse uses unexpected juxtapositions to jolt the viewer into new perspectives on reality. The vast, empty spaces recall the romantic vistas of Albert Bierstadt, but Alphonse subverts this tradition by populating these landscapes with symbols of modern lethargy – plastic chairs, RVs, and discarded beer cans.

Austin Alphonse, As Above so Below, 2023, oil on canvas, 35x54

But the deeper narrative emerges from something more profound—a multigenerational journey of pain passed down through his paternal line. This internal duality of the male experience, when left unaddressed and unresolved, burns like a fire that eventually consumes from within.

"I think about my grandfather, a decorated combat veteran of Vietnam, and how he was lauded as a hero publicly but menaced his family in private," Austin shares. "I think about my own father, an abrasive drill sergeant, whose double life as an amateur thespian caused a conflict with his identity as a military man."

It is clear that Austin's art is his way of alchemizing the inherited pain of his family's history. Carl Jung's theory of the Collective Unconscious comes to mind, where patterns of behavior and trauma are passed down from generation to generation. Austin's pain is something that can't be intellectualized; it's something that must be felt. By accepting and living through this inherited pain, he confronts and attempts to resolve the inherited duality within.

As I reflect on his work, I can't help but see the inner torment of the male figures in his family. Through his art, he resurrects these figures, offering them another chance to relive their painful pasts and, this time, make a different choice, despite the societal, cultural, and external pressures that contributed to their internal conflicts. Austin's work asks whether we can choose to respond differently. While we often don't have control over what happens to us in life, we always have control over how we respond to it.

In his work, Austin raises an urgent and timely question, especially in a society obsessed with escaping uncomfortable emotions—whether through materialism, entertainment, or other forms of avoidance. What happens when we stop running from pain and sadness? In our pursuit of happiness—a right ingrained in the American ethos—we forget that happiness cannot be pursued; it can only ensue. The closest we can come to happiness is by mastering our internal narrative about life, and we can only gain the tools necessary for this mastery by accepting and learning how to live through pain.

Austin Alphonse, Burial, 2024, oil on canvas, 54x75

Austin reflects on this idea:

"There's beauty in perseverance. It's not about what's on the other side of sadness, but the act of trying to move past it. Like Sisyphus, the Greek mythical figure eternally pushing his boulder up a hill only to watch it roll back down, the struggle itself holds meaning. Through it, we gain empathy, understanding, and clarity. The key is to keep moving forward, even when it feels futile."

Pain is only terrifying when we resist it, much like the inner demons that torment us under the distorted moonlight of our subconscious. But when we gather the courage to face these demons, they become our allies, guiding us through the darkest corners of our psyche.

In Austin's work, pain is anthropomorphized. His figures, caught in a liminal space—whether as victims of circumstance or the consequences of their own choices—present a question he leaves for the viewer to answer: Is there hope after this? A quick glance at his paintings reveals the answer in every muted color and vast, calming backdrop—whether it's a pastel desert or a dimly lit room. The subtle references to 1950s and 1960s pop culture, inherently joyful, hint at an underlying sense of optimism. There is always a choice in how we interpret the moments when life breaks us. Do we become victims, or do we learn from it? As Hemingway once said, "The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places."

Austin Alphonse, Bruises, 2024, oil on canvas, 54x72

Alphonse's Oasis is an invitation to confront our own inherited pain and the choices we make in response to it. As viewers stand before these large-scale canvases, they are challenged to see beyond the surface, to recognize the humanity in struggle, and to consider their own role in breaking cycles of trauma. In this way, Alphonse's work becomes a mirror, reflecting not just his journey of alchemizing pain into art, but our own potential for transformation.

If you think about it, isn't this what alchemists have always strived for—the creation of the Philosopher's Stone, a magical artifact said to turn base metals into gold? Perhaps this is just a metaphor for mastering our psyche, transmuting our darkest thoughts and emotions into strength and growth. What if the Philosopher's Stone is nothing more than the ability to control our perception of life? Austin, through his work, is a living example of someone who has acquired this elusive stone.

Austin Alphonse’s debut show, “Oasis,” is on view from September 14th to October 19th at Vardan Gallery. WM