Late Nite, 2012 and Sideways, 2012 are both inspired by the human figure. Most of the panels are sardined together while others merely touch edges, creating an absence within the whole, or a break in continuity, as well as implying a further remove from the traditionally-shaped canvas. By working in this way, Kahn adds vigour by disrupting the painting’s surface; while the monochrome initially implies an insistent flatness, the dialogue between the adjoining shapes and their overall form creates a tension between surface, structure, and physical depth that remains elegant yet re-complicated.

Text by Gemma de Cruz