Maureen Paley presents *The Fugitive Marvels of Sunset*, the fifth solo exhibition of Canadian artist Paul P. at the gallery. The show features his signature portraits of anonymous young men, sourced from gay erotic magazines from the late 1960s to early 1980s, alongside paintings of bats, laundry, and seascapes that explore twilight and threshold moments. The exhibition draws on coded visual languages from Victorian-era dandies and post-Stonewall culture, with works also included from a recent two-person show at KW Institute for Contemporary Art, Berlin.
This exhibition matters because Paul P. connects historical queer visual strategies—used under repressive laws—with the fragile freedoms of the post-Stonewall era, reminding viewers that liberation is cyclical and not guaranteed. By juxtaposing Victorian allegory with erotic archives, the artist addresses desire, beauty, and unease, offering a poignant reflection on queer history and its ongoing relevance. The show also coincides with a new monograph published by Maureen Paley, Gregory R. Miller & Company, and Greene Naftali.