Paul Heyer’s paintings envision a fictive world that defies natural order, wherein every form is changeable. Painted on polyester taffeta, his characteristic flowers, trees, butterflies, human figures, and skeletons exist in states of constant transformation. Heyer embraces an impressionistic logic of dissolution and disorientation, suspending his subjects within a non-specific amniotic realm. His recontextualized signifiers hover at the edge of the material world and hold potential for infinite readings. They simultaneously bloom, evolve, wither, and die, always on the verge of transformation. Activated by energetic brush strokes and throbbing with potentiality, his paintings embody transitional moments of becoming.
Paul Heyer (b.1982, Olympia Fields, Illinois) lives and works in Chicago, Illinois. He received his MFA in painting from Columbia University in 2009. He has had solo exhibitions at Chapter NY, New York; Night Gallery, Los Angeles; Soccer Club Club, Chicago; Mickey, Chicago; and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago. His work has also been included in group exhibitions at Manarat Saadivat, Abu Dhabi; Baader Meinhof, Omaha; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago; Perrotin, New York; Park View/Paul Soto, Los Angeles; Sargent’s Daughters, New York; Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York; Shane Campbell Gallery, Chicago; Rodeo Gallery, London; Young Art, Los Angeles; 356 Mission, Los Angeles; and Rachel Uffner Gallery, New York; among others.
![<i>Orange Sunflower</i>, 2023<br/>Oil and acrylic on polyester<br/>14 x 18 in (35.6 x 45.7 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/7042NDCSnubDcJ3EjZ6OAA/12355ae876355f1eec2733ab306aee5e/PH_2065_Orange_Sunflower_1_front.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Genesis 3</i>, 2023<br/>Oil and acrylic on polyester<br/>54 x 44 in (137.2 x 111.8 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/4Mb5wuVsZzTgUUodavw5ge/2252187ecf125ecfefe96b8e1402f6b4/PH_P_2060_Genesis_3_1_front.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>The Big River</i>, 2023<br/>Oil on silver lamé<br/>54 x 44 in (137.2 x 111.8 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/5LmiKmCjw2rhX2wT5HOEZQ/d6f270351aa4c7cac5484321277542c3/PH_2056_The_Big_River_1_front.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Proof</i>, 2023<br/>Oil on silver lamé<br/>14 x 18 in (35.6 x 45.7 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/25tlYFqhaO8xzoQ0FOES6G/02d0cc7dbabfe0dd5d875cce20b81e49/PH_P_2073_Proof_1_front.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Swallowtail</i>, 2022<br/>Oil and acrylic on lamé<br/>15 × 18 in (38.10 × 45.72 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2LP05QKfUQh89w8z3LaegE/39962c6605167dc54577481e607bef49/PH_2050_Swallowtail.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>312 (Sunflowers on Red)</i>, 2022<br/>Oil and acrylic on polyester<br/>72 × 84 in (182.88 × 213.36 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/dByXtQTfwCdZImoLvw9qM/d6da12295a3e12d118c44d3054dbe55f/PH_2051_312__Sunflowers_on_Red_.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Big Feelings</i>, 2020<br/>Oil and acrylic on polyester<br/>44 × 33 ½ in (111.76 × 85.09 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/3S6bdNBV1CrirapV2lJLED/ec9e3c17eed5aba81ce1336b1c0883c1/PH_Big_Feelings.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Summer Fruit</i>, 2019<br/>Oil and acrylic on polyester<br/>19 × 23 in (48.26 × 58.42 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/1BmWsVNUzDSs8TVXgiNwqC/1b11220a5288171557b85a809f84fb02/1_PH_apple_sm.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>CHICAGO</i>, Soccer Club Club, Chicago, IL](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/5hDyjHakCig8OrAMZdQVI6/862f87076c99b10a3892f02ee695ac27/PH_CHICAGO_Install_6.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Wow</i>, 2019<br/>Oil and acrylic on polyester<br/>25 × 22 in (63.50 × 55.88 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/4Z6RsKtrf0xqO6t5nwNPqT/d9013be100e27ed6ec69a8bef292c478/2_PH_Wow_lrg.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Two Strangers</i>, 2019<br/>Oil, acrylic and glitter on polyester<br/>42 × 37 in (106.68 × 93.98 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2OwdMUcSn1ECqJOzNCSYui/4563836f82d95abe5b96d066421d8269/3_Paul-Heyer_001.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Apple with Carved Heart</i>, 2020<br/>Oil and acrylic on polyester<br/>20 1/4 x 24 1/8 x 1 in (51.4 x 61.3 x 2.5 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/5JTGc6Xwj7eUzd7fr1QIF8/9094c757a8a9e0d59c48e274a3f296c0/PH-P-1344-image.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Hello?</i>, 2019<br/>Oil and acrylic on polyester<br/>25 × 22 in (63.50 × 55.88 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/6Yd9640fkArG5vD5JnkixY/9816a3b3f660cedf2996fc543d825e2b/4_20_born.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>BORN</i>, 2019<br/>Abalone shells, limestone, UV LEDs, sound element made in collaboration with Ariel Zetina, and other elements<br/>Dimensions variable](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2iy6myzfrNDC5M6iryf5d/9138974ffebaf6b03071b7d84dd5cd68/5_born.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Lamppost</i>, 2019<br/>Oil and acrylic on polyester<br/>61 x 38 in (154.9 x 96.5 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/2Wnf1hNdnDVclc6PdgPo9A/04df421cfdb6cdaa4e390ce1b5f290de/7_05-20-19_Paul-Heyer_Night-Gallery_005.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Heaven</i>, 2017<br/>Oil and acrylic on polyester<br/>84 × 72 in (213.36 × 182.88 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/48G77vzwut76e6pJKKtV2B/9d3bde2755a43de9990ad0782e680eb6/10_PH_Heaven.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Chicago Works: Paul Heyer</i>, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, IL](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/fIyqcUZGDuSmXRcnPfy2H/88815545fec112e5969eee80a7099375/PaulHeyer_20180123_002.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![Installation view, <i>Chicago Works: Paul Heyer</i>, Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, IL](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/67PaUW8HrOUfC25o6gtRuf/ccec116b81524bc1f92535e65815f62d/PaulHeyer_20180123_026_email.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Model of the Universe (It’s a Broom)</i>, 2016<br/>Acrylic, oil and china marker on polyester<br/>70 x 55 in (177.80 × 139.70 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/1dKROnk7BznMEH0LOsjCN2/a7c3fa09dd76676e6a78178570f51abc/17_PH_Model_of_The_Universe__It-s_a_Broom__2016.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Chromosomes</i>, 2017<br/>Oil and acrylic on canvas<br/>32 x 28 in (81.3 x 71.1 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/lEEqTLuJLDBDRHdGPwf5v/3ee6390eb78ab01fe1c56c5a5a033f4f/PH-715-image.jpg?w=800&q=80)
![<i>Everyday is Halloween</i>, 2016<br/>China marker, silver lamé and acrylic on canvas<br/>27 x 22 ⅛ in (68.58 × 56.20 cm)](http://images.ctfassets.net/my3e36632gpy/4hBtiSs8Ib5mO4LzqGCMTy/99bc08ad427fe4a6568768bdc6c564ca/18_PH_Every_Day_is_Halloween_2016.jpg?w=800&q=80)