David King – In the Tension Between Expressive Gesture and Figurative Isolation
David King is an American painter whose work operates at the dynamic intersection of expressive realism and contemporary figuration. Based in the American Midwest, King earned his Master of Fine Arts from Kent State University and has developed a commanding visual language defined by a bold synthesis of sweeping gestural abstraction and figurative presence.
Working frequently with oil on aluminum panel, King leverages the smooth, non-porous substrate to give his brushwork an exceptional fluidity and luminous speed. The slick panel surface allows broad, gestural marks to glide effortlessly across the plane while retaining precise edge control and textural clarity. In these compositions, isolated human figures and forms are embedded within dominant, rhythmic stroke work and enveloping color fields. Much like the work of Wilhelm Sasnal, King’s paintings hover between physical reality and psychological space, using dense paint application and fluid gestures to disrupt and reframe the surrounding narrative.
Formally, his practice spans from expressive realism to a nuanced form of non-objective figuration. King masterfully translates static scenes into dynamic visual experiences where light, industrial surface texture, and gestural marks tensionally coexist. His paintings possess a distinct filmic presence—bold in form, yet deeply nuanced in emotional momentum.
King has exhibited extensively throughout the United States, with major presentations at Hedge Gallery in Cleveland, the CAN Triennial, MOCA Cleveland, and the Erie Art Museum, where he received Best of Show awards in 2019, 2021, and 2023. His works are preserved in prominent public and corporate collections, including Progressive Insurance, Aetna, and The Ohio State University.
