Lucas Reiner

The trees of Los Angeles, like those in many of the world's cities, face harsh conditions-pollution, traffic, haphazard construction and human interference-that seem determined to kill them off. For the past decade Reiner has made the trees of his native city the subject of his distinctive work. In their endurance, ability to thrive and grow in the face of enormousodds, Los Angeles' trees can be seen as a metaphor for human existence. This fascinating cycle of works tells the story of the relationship between mankind and nature, and the domestication of nature through civilization. Reiner's paintings are not landscapes in the traditional sense, but portraits, rendered with love and attention to each of their subject'sunique features and qualities.