Dog Kicking in its Sleep
July 19, 2026 – September 20, 2026
Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 S Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL 60607, USA
DOG KICKING IN ITS SLEEP is the first solo exhibition from Chicago based artist Ethan Shay-Cowell. His work combines observation with surrealist invention and symbolism to create dark, dream-like spaces that bridge the physical world with the ever-present allegory unfolding beneath it. These works created between 2022 and 2026 were inspired by the artist’s time spent living and studying in Chicago, as well as the increasing volatility of the global political theatre. The paintings are a response to uncertainty and conflict, both within and outside of the self, searching our stories and symbols for meaning that withstand this volatility. His practice personifies time and space as a parent and teacher in a way that blurs the line between art making and theistic reflection, seeking an intimacy that is only possible through confrontation. The exhibition aims to create a moment in which the artist’s works can together express a portrait of human nature in its juxtaposing elements as to be faithful to its complexity.