Artist Chase Hall discusses his new solo exhibition “Momma’s Baby, Daddy’s Maybe” at Galerie Eva Presenhuber in Vienna, which takes its title from a phrase his father told him in childhood. The show explores themes of race, mixed-race identity, fatherhood, and family dynamics, using coffee as a signature medium—Hall layers espresso on raw cotton canvas to create symbolic and formal depth. The exhibition follows his rise from photojournalism to a buzzy painting career, with works acquired by major institutions and auction records at Christie’s.
The exhibition matters because it marks a deepening of Hall’s exploration of identity and personal history through a distinctive material practice. Coffee, with its origins in Ethiopia and history of global trade and exploitation, carries layered meaning—especially in Vienna, a city synonymous with coffeehouse culture. Hall’s use of negative space and loaded materials like cotton canvas continues to challenge stereotypes and provoke questions about race, embodiment, and perception, solidifying his position as a significant contemporary voice in American painting.