ART
4me4you features - “Louche”.
4me4you recently had the pleasure of visiting Rhodes Contemporary Gallery which featured the artist Kevin Sabo.
Sabo’s art is instantly recognisable: bold, punchy, and unapologetically vibrant. His exaggerated figures riff on pop culture while playfully subverting traditional gender norms. With a blend of surreal satire and sharp social insight, his work occupies a space where humour meets provocation.
His pieces have appeared in solo exhibitions around the world—from New York and Paris to Brussels and San Francisco—and have been featured in publications like Architectural Digest and Metal Magazine. In his latest body of work, Louche, Sabo deepens his investigation into drag culture and its intersections with corporate power.
“The way I portray my male and ‘female’ characters reflects how I navigate these archetypes in today’s social and political climate, not just in the U.S., but globally,” he says. “As women and queer people face ongoing threats to their rights and are politicised in regressive agendas, I feel compelled to respond through my work.”
His male characters—often stretched thin, almost floating businessmen—are caught in scenes that parody outdated notions of masculinity. In contrast, his female figures exude poise and self-possession, captured in ordinary moments with serene grace. These juxtapositions challenge familiar gender roles and celebrate queer resilience, power, and joy.
Sabo describes his aesthetic as living somewhere between elegance and mischief. At first glance, his imagery may feel light and playful, but there's always an edge—a subtle tension humming beneath the surface.
“It’s like being at a chic party where the atmosphere feels just a little too heavy,” he explains. “There’s a glamour to it, but also a sense that something unsaid is hanging in the air.”
He often starts with archetypal gestures—a woman lighting a cigarette, someone applying lipstick—then reimagines them through his own visual lexicon. These seemingly simple actions take on new dimensions, hinting at deeper stories and an undercurrent of mystery.
“That’s the essence of Louche,” Sabo says. “It’s the allure of the slightly off-kilter—something captivating that also feels a little dangerous. Beauty with an unraveling edge.”
Lately, Sabo has been pushing his practice further, layering raw textures and expressive graphite lines into his acrylic work. This new direction adds a lithographic quality that amplifies both depth and intensity.
With Louche, Sabo not only expands his technical range but also reasserts his dedication to exploring urgent cultural and political questions.
Through a mix of wit, critique, and visual seduction, he invites viewers to consider the complexities of identity, while celebrating the boldness and joy of those who live outside the norm.
ART
4me4you features - “Louche”.
4me4you recently had the pleasure of visiting Rhodes Contemporary Gallery which featured the artist Kevin Sabo.
Sabo’s art is instantly recognisable: bold, punchy, and unapologetically vibrant. His exaggerated figures riff on pop culture while playfully subverting traditional gender norms. With a blend of surreal satire and sharp social insight, his work occupies a space where humour meets provocation.
His pieces have appeared in solo exhibitions around the world—from New York and Paris to Brussels and San Francisco—and have been featured in publications like Architectural Digest and Metal Magazine. In his latest body of work, Louche, Sabo deepens his investigation into drag culture and its intersections with corporate power.
“The way I portray my male and ‘female’ characters reflects how I navigate these archetypes in today’s social and political climate, not just in the U.S., but globally,” he says. “As women and queer people face ongoing threats to their rights and are politicised in regressive agendas, I feel compelled to respond through my work.”
His male characters—often stretched thin, almost floating businessmen—are caught in scenes that parody outdated notions of masculinity. In contrast, his female figures exude poise and self-possession, captured in ordinary moments with serene grace. These juxtapositions challenge familiar gender roles and celebrate queer resilience, power, and joy.
Sabo describes his aesthetic as living somewhere between elegance and mischief. At first glance, his imagery may feel light and playful, but there's always an edge—a subtle tension humming beneath the surface.
“It’s like being at a chic party where the atmosphere feels just a little too heavy,” he explains. “There’s a glamour to it, but also a sense that something unsaid is hanging in the air.”
He often starts with archetypal gestures—a woman lighting a cigarette, someone applying lipstick—then reimagines them through his own visual lexicon. These seemingly simple actions take on new dimensions, hinting at deeper stories and an undercurrent of mystery.
“That’s the essence of Louche,” Sabo says. “It’s the allure of the slightly off-kilter—something captivating that also feels a little dangerous. Beauty with an unraveling edge.”
Lately, Sabo has been pushing his practice further, layering raw textures and expressive graphite lines into his acrylic work. This new direction adds a lithographic quality that amplifies both depth and intensity.
With Louche, Sabo not only expands his technical range but also reasserts his dedication to exploring urgent cultural and political questions.
Through a mix of wit, critique, and visual seduction, he invites viewers to consider the complexities of identity, while celebrating the boldness and joy of those who live outside the norm.