Animals have populated the work of Canadian artist Jeff Nachtigall for more than three decades. He’s on exhibition in Tiger vs Bear at Galerie Youn in Montreal from April 15 through June 3. (Above: Tiger Tiger, acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 48×60”)

In Nachtigall’s paintings, “the animal kingdom acts as our proxy . . . replaced by a colourful bestiary cavorting in fantastic landscapes that echo scenes from speculative fiction,” the gallery says.

Nachtigall explains his focus this way: “Perhaps it was the synthesis of Saturday morning cartoons and my experience growing up in the Canadian North that influenced my perceptions. I prefer animals to humans; they have more integrity. They allow me to address relationships in a subverted manner, forcing the viewer to dig deeper if they desire more meaning.”

Galerie Youn artist page, here.

Jeff Nachtigall website, here.

His Instagram, here.