The Water Mill, New York-based Parrish Art Museum announced its continued partnership with Manhattan’s FLAG Art Foundation with a new installation titled FRESH PAINT. The installation is particularly notable given that it showcases previously undisplayed work by the Bay Area artist Reggie Burrows Hodges. Art enthusiasts can view the paintings now through June 9, 2025. Hodges’ exhibition includes the painting Labor: Sound Bath (2022), which is a part of the artist’s Labor series. 

Hodges was born in Compton, CA in 1965 and specializes in acrylics and pastels on large-scale canvases. His works often explore relatable themes like identity and community featuring silhouette figures. Art enthusiasts can enjoy Labor: Sound Bath for the first time in the FRESH PAINT exhibit. 

This particular large-scale work was inspired by Hodges’ time in California’s Central Valley, which is often associated with farmlands and heavy crop production.  Matching its inspiration, Labor: Sound Bath depicts a barely visible shadowy figure walking through bright green farmland and a large tree. 

Though the vegetation may seem to take center stage, the main focus of the piece is the silhouette — which represents the area’s customs that center on harvesting food and gardening. Though it’s less obvious, the piece also highlights the unfair working conditions that the agriculture industry relies on to function and maintain profits. 

Understanding the FRESH PAINT Exhibit

Each installment of Fresh Paint consists of a solo piece of art at the Parrish Art Museum. The rotating series features either new works or pieces that haven’t yet been displayed to the public — like Hodges’ Labor: Sound Bath. The series has been known to feature well-established and prominent artists as well as emerging talents, offering a wide range of art for patrons to enjoy. 

Luckily for art fans, the Parrish Creativity Lounge-presented FRESH PAINT is a free exhibit that visitors can take in during the museum’s regular hours. Even the series’ older works are moderately recent pieces, allowing creatives to use their art to make statements on current events and connect with patrons in a fresh way. 

The Parrish Museum’s Executive Director, Mónica Ramirez-Montagut is particularly excited about presenting what she called an “outstanding piece” by Hodges. She noted that it continues the East End’s tradition of American landscapes, which was established by Impressionist William Merritt Chase and his en plein air school (which was the first in the United States). 

A Collaboration That Makes a Statement

According to Mónica Ramirez-Montagut, the piece also expands the momentum of Lauren Halsey’s and Derrick Adams’ “impactful exhibitions,” which were also displayed in the exhibit. She said, “Showcasing these visionary artists underscores our commitment to bringing timely and compelling contemporary perspectives to the Parrish.” 

Ramirez-Montagut praised Glenn Furhman and the FLAG Art Foundation for being “tremendous partners and friends of the museum.” She added, “Our collaboration continues to spark meaningful dialogue and engagement — further enriched by contributions from esteemed writers, scholars, and our Teen Council members, who offer their own interpretations of the work.” 
Each installation in the FRESH PAINT series is joined by two sets of interpretive texts. These texts hail from the pairing of an invited critic, poet, writer, or scholar and a collaboration with the Parrish Teen Council ARTscope — which is a youth-centered initiative that provides in-depth explorations of museum operations and visual arts.