Pat Phillips’ (b. 1987, Lakenheath, England) paintings combine personal and historical imagery into surreal juxtapositions, drawing on his experience living in America to meditate on complex questions of race, class, labor and a militarized culture. Growing up in small-town Louisiana, Phillips found his way to art through painting and photographing boxcars. He embraces this entry point, creating paintings that discuss the Americana subculture, as well as the current social and political threads running through American culture.

Phillips’ works synthesize his roots in graffiti culture with pop iconography and historically charged subject matter. His works often contain references to confederate flags, fences, and guns—all objects that suggest the violent underpinnings of this country and its institutions. He is currently a fellow at Temple University’s Pew Center for the Arts and Heritage, living and working in Philadelphia.