Nicasio Fernandez: Light Whispers
Berggruen Gallery, San Francisco
August 21 – October 16, 2025
Berggruen Gallery presents Light Whispers, an exhibition of new work by New York artist NICASIO FERNANDEZ. This marks the gallery’s first solo presentation with Nicasio Fernandez.
In Light Whispers, Nicasio Fernandez’s paintings convey a quiet intensity within moody, introspective settings, where his figures are steeped in a spectrum of emotions ranging from uncertainty and tension to concern and doubt. Drawing on film noir motifs—low-key light, deep shadows, and psychological intensity—Nicasio Fernandez places otherworldly figures in eerie, dramatic atmospheres that leave the viewer both unsettled and curious. Though traces of the domestic linger, the paintings deliberately omit any indicators of place, cultivating an enigmatic sense of space.
Rather than referencing specific film stills, Fernandez’s works are instead constructed around a captivating moment, lingering feeling, or a memory Nicasio Fernandez has held onto and reshaped into his own vision. All but one painting conceal their cinematic references. "Dark Corner", titled after the 1954 film, depicts a forward-leaning figure in motion, the face and long brown overcoat partially backlit by an ambiguous source just outside the frame. The figure moves swiftly through a mysterious nightscape—perhaps in pursuit of something—seems to pause in hesitation, as if aware of a lurking presence.
While Nicasio Fernandez is known for his vibrant chromatic choices, subtle dark humor, and precise handling of materials—demonstrating an ability to be loud and provocative—this body of work marks a decisive shift toward restraint and alteration. His bold palette has been pared down and placed within a uniform tonal temperature. Scratchy brushwork reveals parts of the underpainting, while sharp, crisp edges begin to dissolve. The use of light nods not only to cinema but also to the art historical references such as Rembrandt’s portraiture and the soft glow of Vuillard’s domestic interiors. Fernandez’s purposeful obscuring of elements of the paintings in deeper shadows acts as a framing device to guide the viewer’s eye across the canvas.
Nicasio Fernandez refers to these small paintings as whispers; much like the transfer of sound, these works require close proximity to spark an exchange—inviting the viewer to step into the scene in order to fully dissect and absorb its information. Like considered sequences from cinema, the paintings invite open dialogue and allow space for interpretation. Through this quietness, Fernandez’s paintings offer a light whisper to the viewer, gently luring them into a mysterious, contemplative state.
NICASIO FERNANDEZ (b. 1993, Yonkers, NY) received a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in 2015. Most recently, his work has been exhibited at Harper’s, Los Angeles, New York, and East Hampton (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2018); Half Gallery, New York (2023, 2022); Alexander Berggruen, New York (2023, 2022); Ross + Kramer, New York and East Hampton (2022, 2021, and 2020); Over the Influence, Hong Kong and Los Angeles (2020, 2019). Fernandez’s work is included in the collections of the Hall Art Foundation, North Adams, MA; and The Bunker, Palm Beach, FL. His work has appeared in Artnet, At Large, and New American Paintings, among other publications. Nicasio Fernandez lives and works in upstate New York.
BERGGRUEN GALLERY
10 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
