Demarco Mosby “If you have no sword, sell your cloak and buy one”

Anna Zorina

[Image: Demarco Mosby "Depraved Indifference" (2022) oil on canvas, 62 x 52 in.]

This event has ended.

Anna Zorina Gallery presents If you have no sword, sell your cloak and buy one, Demarco Mosby’s New York solo debut exhibition and first show with the gallery. The show features the artist’s latest series of paintings that confront the viewer with humanity’s unpredictable reactions to moments of turbulence and violence.

Mosby reinterprets familiar stories from history, myth and fantasy by representing each narrative through his distinctive use of texture, composition and symbolism. The artist specifically examines the morality at play during critical turning points. With his exhibition title, Mosby refers to a New Testament passage from the Bible in which, Jesus is telling his disciples that he will be counted as a criminal and they will all soon face persecution. The titular instruction is interpreted as Jesus preparing his disciples for the difficult times ahead and encouraging them to be ready to defend themselves.

With this latest body of work, Mosby’s examines the relevance of this passage in relation to the events of 2020, in which riots and civil unrest caused many to reflect on their own preparedness as well as the stability of their surroundings and relationships. Through layering and excising details; collaging symbolic references; Mosby captures the ambiguity and disorientation of these pivotal moments. The viewer is placed in the midst of a societal collapse, highlighting the potential for violence and cruelty but also a remarkable capacity for good. The enigmatical scenes intend to carve out a moment to pause and reflect on the depth of the human will and the enduring possibility for personal growth.

DEMARCO MOSBY (b. 1991, Kansas City, Missouri) lives and works in New York. He received his BFA from the School of Visual Arts, New York in 2014 and his MFA from Hunter CUNY, New York in 2021. His work has been exhibited at venues throughout New York City including Someday Gallery; Hauser & Wirth; Lyles & King; and UncleBrother; Other notable exhibitions include solo and group presentations at Analog Diary, Beacon, NY; Leeann Gallery Daegu, Korea; Luce Gallery, Turin, Italy.