With a style reminiscent of George Grosz and Pierre Klossowski, Michael Cline’s paintings portray scenes of contemporary fable. Stemming from his interest in faith, atonement, and the American Dream, Cline’s images describe an imperfect world, where saints, sinners, and ordinary folk play out narratives of the artist’s invention.

Executed with pristine innocence, Cline’s canvases are dreamily dystopian, using pastel tones and chaste illustration to depict instances of subtle horror. In works such as Woman In Doorway and Police Line, uncomfortable subjects such as violence and sex are rendered with small town serenity, their quirky folksiness underscoring the laissez-faire of open secrets and closed-door gossip.