Painting takes a world where we are slipping into the metaverse and says to the viewer, without hesitation: ‘this is a lie’.

99 Loop is delighted to present Purebred, a new solo exhibition by Paul Wallington. Purebred finds the artist questioning the ways in which humans go about their search for meaning in an increasingly complex world. In the exhibition, Wallington draws parallels between the practice of purebred breeding and the narratives humans create as we make sense of our world. For Wallington, figurative painting is a way to understand these narratives and the ever-growing disconnect we’ve created between our physical and virtual lives. In the words of the artist, figurative painting is a medium that “immediately foregrounds the fact that it is not factual, but instead a fictional interpretation of reality.” Ultimately, Wallington finds authenticity in oil paint and canvas. His paintings are a starting point from which he can question the role of art in this ever-churning whirlpool of absurdity, subjectivity, and technology.