Adele Renault's studio is an old converted Korean church in Los Angeles. It's a large, fascinating old building just down the road from some of the biggest gallery names in the world like Zwirner, but here, there is a quiet hum of the 10 freeway and a massive painting area that could almost be an old cinema in terms of scale. Here, the Belgian-born artist is far from the rural countryside she grew up in and now in the thick of the concrete landmass that is the sprawl of LA. And here, in these conditions, she is making paintings so precise and photorealistic, so airtight, that she is almost leaning into something abstract. They are stunning and a major moment for the artist as she is set to open her solo show, Things I Can't Unsee, at Good Mother Gallery.
It's the perfect title to a show, and in particular, to the practice she has of documenting her travels via bicycle, running or in a car across LA. Made over the span of 12 months, through a tumultuous time in LA's history, the works are an ode to the city and the constant conversation between nature and cement.
In this conversation on the Radio Juxtapoz podcast, presenting by The Unibrow, Renault talks to Evan Pricco about her growing from graffiti and street work into this new direction, from pigeons to now urban landscapes, how being afforded time is a gift every artist needs and how close to abstraction these works can get up close.
Subscribe to the Radio Juxtapoz podcast on Spotify and on Apple Podcasts.
The Unibrow's Radio Juxtapoz podcast is hosted by Juxtapoz editor, Evan Pricco. Episode 162 was recorded in Los Angeles in late April 2025.
Studio photo by Pysa (@Pysainhiding)
