Keiran Brennan Hinton at Mulherin New York

William Kimber and I rediscovered the Lower East Side last Saturday when we made our way to Mulherin New York to see new work from one of our favourite painters.

 Pop over to Mulherin (124 Forsyth) after your visit to the New Museum on Bowery and you'll stay to check out the neighbourhood's' thriving new galleries and restaurants. We'll certainly spend more time there on our next visit.

 Matter of Fact has its official opening tonight and in our book it is a "must see".

There you will find three magnificent new large paintings -- a size we haven't seen before from Hinton. The new work displays an exciting new level of quality.

Here is a detail from the painting above. You can see the continuity with the abrupt simplification and abstraction of his early work, but now in the service of a new optical realism.

Here is another large painting. These were all done in his studio. Note the night view out the window -- more on that in a moment.

Another detail 

Many new small paintings are on display as well.

Third of the large paintings. I was very struck by the range of blue tones on those drawers. 

Hinton's studio window by night has inspired a suite of small variations

all of them compelling 

 even bewitching.

Full disclosure -- Kimber and I bought a Hinton painting at his first exhibition (Mulherin Toronto, 2014). It is a constant joy. We'll leave you with one more smashing painting from the new show. (Until May 28th).