Aidan Lapp - Hold Still

Auxier Kline Gallery, New York
Opening reception: January 16, 2026
On view: January 16 – February 13, 2026
Location: Auxier Kline, 19 Monroe St, New York, NY, 10002
More information: Auxier Kline | Aidan Lapp

Auxier Kline presents Hold Still, a solo exhibition by Aidan Lapp that deepens the artist’s ongoing investigation into portraiture as a durational, relational practice. The exhibition marks Lapp’s second presentation with the gallery and brings together drawings and paintings made between 2020 and 2025, featuring both new and returning sitters from the artist’s community. Read the full write-up from Natalie Ginsberg here.

The Architecture of a Face

For Lapp, a portrait is not merely a product but a record of a shared experience. His process begins with what he calls the “sacrificial drawing”—a quick, 30-minute rough sketch where he “learns” the sitter’s face, navigating the specific hooks of a nose or the curve of a jaw.

This is followed by a more formal sitting, typically lasting two to four hours, which provides the “architecture” for the final piece. By balancing immediate, energetic pencil work with later applications of oil paint, Lapp manages to preserve the vitality of the live moment.

A Focus on “Obsolescence”

One of the most compelling themes in “Hold Still” is the idea of portraits becoming obsolete. Lapp primarily paints other creatives and people in their early 20s—a stage of life where physicality, style, and identity are in constant flux.

“I’m interested… in capturing this moment and knowing that it’s going to be gone, and then getting to recapture it a couple years later.”

— Aidan Lapp

The Freedom of Paper

While many fine artists feel beholden to canvas, Lapp is a staunch advocate for paper. Moving away from the “old school” idea that high art must be on canvas, he works primarily on 100% cotton rag. This choice is both practical—stemming from a need to store and move hundreds of works easily during the pandemic—and aesthetic, allowing him to use the paper’s natural lightness to inform his skin tones, a technique carried over from his background in watercolor.

Key Characteristics of Lapp’s Work:

The “25% Rule”: Lapp admits that his own “facial architecture” often bleeds into his subjects, noting that his portraits are often a mix of 25% himself and 75% the sitter.
Imperfect Reality: He intentionally moves away from the crispness of photo references, often using Polaroids to avoid the temptation to “zoom in” and over-refine. This leads to a stylized reality where features like eyes and noses are elongated, creating a distinct “Lapp world”.
Restrained Palette: Influenced by the School of London, his work utilizes a level of restraint that encourages the viewer to “look harder” rather than being overwhelmed by aggressive color.

A Contemporary Retrospective

Lapp views his work as a time capsule for the current generation—capturing not just faces, but the posters on the walls, the hairstyles, and the specific energy of modern youth. By focusing on “making what he likes” and leaning into the intimacy of the studio conversation, Lapp has created a series that feels both intensely personal and universally relatable.

“Hold Still” is more than an exhibition; it is a testament to the endurance of the human gaze in an increasingly fast-paced world.

Learn more about Aidan Lapp’s artwork and philosophy in our full conversation below: