Josh Podoll's most recent paintings are swirling and expanding atmospheres populated with a jumble of simple shapes and masses of various colors, densities and textures. Loosely formed, each floats as a mutable thing with irregular edges within the confines of the white canvas in much the way I imagine a mass of soup without a bowl would float in outer space—part animation, part science. Space generally opens towards the top of the canvas and a sense of weight or heaviness occurs at the bottom, yet there is no ground. Podoll's palette is limited and nears monochrome yet there are enough distinctions to move the push and pull over to micro macro. The more solidified shapes and masses moving through the splashes, bursts and gushes of the soup seem to be navigating under the playful intelligence of air traffic control. And every now and then I catch a glimpse of one of these paintings and it feels like a head full of thoughts.

Josh Podoll lives in San Francisco, attended Maharishi International University for his BFA (1996) and University of Iowa for his MFA (2002) He first exhibited with Feature Inc., in 2004, and this is his third solo exhibition with the gallery.