Fredericks & Freiser’s latest exhibit, Phosphorescence and Gasoline, by Danielle Roberts, invites viewers to step into a world painted with the haunting glow of modern life. On display through December 7, 2024, Roberts’ solo exhibition delivers a powerful portrayal of our hyper-digital, post-pandemic reality, captured in a series of vibrant acrylic works that embrace the beauty and irony of a generation shaped by both connection and isolation.
With Roberts’ deft brushwork, each piece in Phosphorescence and Gasoline pulses with life, yet holds an uncanny stillness. Her compositions are dominated by artificial light—car headlights, neon signs, and glimmering disco balls—all casting iridescent halos that create an almost surreal atmosphere. In one piece, an overhead lamp shines down on a table of disillusioned figures with vacant stares, echoing the timeless loneliness of Edward Hopper’s work. Yet, there’s something distinctly modern, even digital, in Roberts’ approach, as if these scenes are painted through the pixelated lens of a smartphone screen.
The gallery describes this effect as “like stepping outside a party but still hearing the music inside,” and Roberts captures that sensation perfectly. Her scenes pull viewers into a world both familiar and unsettling. This tension—between brightness and emptiness, between vivid color and subdued emotion—forms the beating heart of Roberts’ work. The figures she paints seem distant, almost disassociated from their surroundings, yet there’s a warmth and empathy in the way she captures each detail. Eyes are sunken, expressions hollow, yet Roberts’ compositions don’t judge; they simply observe, reflecting the quiet struggles and strange beauty of contemporary life.
Her approach to color and light is especially striking. In the dark, fragmented haze of each piece, vibrant tones emerge: acidic greens, pulsating reds, and phosphorescent blues that seem to echo the visual overload of our digital age. These aren’t just splashes of color; they’re intentional, conveying the electric hum and subtle chaos of urban life. The radiance doesn’t add comfort, though—it enhances the underlying melancholy. Even in moments of apparent stillness, there’s an implicit restlessness, as if each figure is caught in a strobe-lit snapshot of modern isolation.
Roberts’ portrayal of this digital disconnect is paradoxical in its clarity. Through her unique compositional choices, she fragments each scene yet invites the viewer to feel the unspoken connections between her subjects. It’s a delicate balance between alienation and intimacy, achieved through her ethereal yet precise brushwork. Roberts embraces both the harshness and the beauty of this hyper-modern reality, turning everyday scenes into mesmerizing, poignant snapshots that resonate on a personal level.
Phosphorescence and Gasoline is a rare exhibition that speaks to the collective experience of a generation touched by both the glow of connection and the shadows of detachment. For anyone fascinated by the intersection of digital culture and art, this exhibition offers a timely reflection on where we are and how we feel in a world that often feels like it’s spinning under neon lights.
Catch Danielle Roberts’ Phosphorescence and Gasoline at Fredericks & Freiser in New York, on view until December 7. This immersive experience invites you to step inside Roberts’ vibrant vision and embrace the haunting, neon-drenched beauty of our shared moments.