Chicago artist King Rello brought his “Late Nights in Paradise” art show to the city, showcasing his pop art renditions of modern nude portraiture and clothing designs filled with palm trees and hotels.
A local venue called Canvas hosted the event in April. Guests were allowed to drop their coats and pick up a complimentary cocktail as they began to wander the gallery and take a look at Rello’s latest collection of clothing. Dubbed “Late Nights in Paradise,” the art and merchandise contained pop art renditions of modern nude photography, meaning selfies taken by the women that were portrayed.
The clothing maintained a similar aesthetic but focused on the graphics from hotel signs and palm trees, underscoring the “Paradise” theme in the showcase.
“I heard about the show from a friend at school,” said Aidan Bostic, 16. “It seemed really different from what I’ve seen before; it comes from a humbling place. It’s something you can get in touch with.”
By 9:30 that night, Canvas was full of people socializing, buying merchandise and taking pictures of the event. Attendees showed up to support the artists’ efforts, as well as partner with one of the city’s most recognizable clothing stores, Fat Tiger Workshop. As the night progressed, the music got louder as the number of attendees skyrocketed.
“I loved everything, honestly,” said 18-year-old attendee Alonzo Wright. “The art and clothing collection were good to begin with. I see him [Rello] at Fat Tiger all the time so I knew he’d been working on something to follow up the last one. But the event itself is what pulled all of it together. Rello and the city really showed out for this one.”
Rello recently took this show to Cleveland for another showcase.
On his website, Rello says: “Paradise is a place of supreme happiness and beauty. A lost paradise is an undiscovered place of supreme happiness and beauty. Art is my Lost Paradise.”
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