George Rouy’s ‘The Bleed, Part II’ in Los Angeles: A Haunting Exploration of the Human Condition
At Hauser & Wirth’s Downtown Los Angeles gallery, British artist George Rouy presents The Bleed, Part II, his first solo exhibition in the United States. Following the initial iteration of The Bleed in London, this new body of work marks an evolution in Rouy’s artistic language, pushing the boundaries of painting to explore the psychological terrain of contemporary existence. Through a striking combination of figuration and abstraction, Rouy investigates the complex intersections of desire, alienation, and emotional intensity in a hyperconnected world.
Central to the exhibition is the concept of “the bleed,” Rouy’s term for the collapse of figure and void on the painted surface. The works seem to seep and merge, collapsing distinctions between the body and its environment. This effect is amplified by the artist’s notion of “the surrounds”—zones where human physicality and external conditions converge, marked by fluctuating attributes such as density, speed, volume, and entropy. In this way, each painting becomes an arena of tension: between individuals and their surroundings, and between collective harmony and dissonance.
Rouy’s compositions intentionally resist easy interpretation. Faces—typically seen as conduits of emotion and identity—are distorted, obscured, or omitted entirely. In their absence, hands become potent symbols, directing the viewer’s gaze and suggesting communication, connection, and even manipulation. The resulting works feel uncannily familiar and simultaneously dreamlike, as if drawn from a subconscious pool of imagery that flirts with memory, myth, and digital distortion.
Though his earlier “phantom paintings” were largely monochromatic, The Bleed, Part II introduces rich color into his graphite works. This infusion adds a new dimension to Rouy’s ongoing exploration of light and shadow, expanding his visual vocabulary while retaining the same psychological depth. His figures, often caught in moments of physical or emotional extremity, evoke echoes of historical masterpieces—most notably Goya’s The 3rd of May 1808 and Gericault’s The Raft of Medusa. In one standout piece titled Absentee (2025), these references are directly invoked, grounding his contemporary vision in a lineage of tragic human representation.
Amplifying the exhibition’s impact is BODYSUIT, a live performance co-created by Rouy and renowned choreographer Sharon Eyal. Premiering during the opening week, this 45-minute work integrates dance, sound, light, and a large-scale painting by Rouy. Set against a mirrored floor and accompanied by original electronic music, BODYSUIT presents a total sensory environment that oscillates between intensity and transcendence, reflecting the thematic essence of the paintings.
George Rouy’s trajectory has been meteoric, with international exhibitions and inclusion in major public and private collections. With The Bleed, Part II, he cements his place as a defining voice of his generation—an artist unafraid to navigate the murky, electrified waters of human emotion in an age shaped by speed, screens, and the ever-present desire to connect.
All images © George Rouy; Courtesy the artist, Hannah Barry Gallery and Hauser & Wirth
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