Gene's Presents "Transaction" at Essex Flowers: Joshua Abelow & Katya Kirilloff

Walking through a very distinct market that somehow feels foreign to me, I spot someone who looks as though they might be familiar to me, but I can’t tell if it’s someone I know, someone I once knew, or simply déjà vu. There is a man in a three-piece suit, trying to sell me fresh fruit, and who am I to say no? I love sweetness in almost all of its forms. Nearby, there is a woman in the most elegant tunic, who makes me feel more unique than I have since I was in art school and felt like truly anything was possible. But then it just so happened that I graduated in 2008, and the wealthiest of the world decided they had other plans for me (and for most of the rest of society, as well).

I learned at an early age that so many interactions in this life are transactional, but I also decided right around the same time that they don’t have to be. There are exceptions to everything, though; sadly, there are exemptions to plenty, too. Collaboration and cooperation are the keys to survival. Forget about quid pro quo; forsake the status quo. From this day forward, let’s exchange energy, ideas, and experiences out of an authentic sense of decency, mostly because we acknowledge it is the only way to learn and to love, and ultimately, that is the ideal way to live.

I’m currently sitting in my home in Los Angeles, eating soup dumplings with my son. I’m thinking about Josh’s persistent and prolific painting practice; I’m thinking about Katya’s sad unicorn that will soon be sitting atop dozens of his paintings tightly wrapped to function as table legs. There is a legitimate balance to this transaction; it is evidence that some transactions are not only worthwhile, but they are also necessary. I prefer those that offer some semblance of service and support.

- Keith J. Varadi, September 2026