Like the Spice and the Roger Smith Hotel are pleased to announce that they have joined creative forces to present a group show featuring Like the Spice artists Jason Bryant, Allison Edge, and Ross Racine. Nestled amongst the skyscrapers, The Roger Smith Hotel isn’t just a hotel, but also a positive, open, friendly spot in Midtown Manhattan, and a place where guests and visitors can get a taste of the up and coming New York arts scene. Like the Spice is extremely excited to be invited and we think our artists will fit their style perfectly.

In the lobby of the hotel you will find the shapes of spirals, explosions and clouds that mirror the strange psychology of Quebec-born artist Ross Racine’s fictional suburban developments. Ross has shown extensively across the United States and Canada. His “digital drawings” are hand-drawn directly on the computer, creating communities that could be taken from some otherworldly Mapquest. They are in no way photographs, yet each one still carries a convincing feel, leaving the viewer with the assumption that someone, somewhere, has been to see these communities in person.

Meanwhile, in the Solarium Gallery, you’ll find the startling pop-culture monochromatic paintings of Jason Bryant displayed juxtapose the hyper-nostalgic photo-based works of Allison Edge.

Starting out as a kid in rural North Carolina, Jason Bryant turned a fascination with drawing into a love for painting. Previously working as an assistant for Kehinde Wiley, Jason’s work often explores the person we are, as well as the people we pretend to be. His newest pieces, featured in this exhibition, are challengingly familiar in a way that can often be difficult to place. Maybe you’re certain who they’re meant to be… until you suddenly realize that you don’t know them at all!

On a similar level, the works by Allison Edge carry a strong sense of nostalgia. The pieces, inspired by photographs from past family trips and childhood homes, carry a large memory payload not only for the artist but also for the viewer. No doubt anyone might recognize a memory of their own within the warmth of Allison’s pieces. With her command of light she creates a mood that feels like a memory, like a happy fiction now becomes fact. Previously working as an assistant for Jeff Koons and McDermott & McGough, Allison carries a great love for her craft, and fans of her solo show Crystal Days will certainly want to revisit her work here.