Departing from his well-known portraits, Holloway’s new body of work present in-depth compositions with multiple figures. Using a muted, warm palette, Holloway’s images capture the essence of quotidian tenderness in fleeting moments. The images are inextricably tied to instances in the past, but are also adrift outside time and empathetic to the viewer’s sentiments. They are consciously crafted in the old master tradition, with light and shades for each object confidently rendered, and the anatomy of every black figure studiously considered. However, Holloway does not attempt to be photorealistic; the scenes are cradled with an affectionate brushiness, stiffened at times by plain white and black paint – considered sacrilege by most traditional painters – that is applied for abstraction and obscurity. The enigmatic and lyrical painted text allows shadows of Art Nouveau posters and magazine typesetting to clash with Holloway’s ideal of classical realism, and contextualize these private human experiences in art and social history.

Love Family Glory showcases Holloway’s rich visual lexicon and storytelling prowess. This painting depicts a casual moment at a convenience store. Several nameless, casually shoppers converge by the shop counter, and momentarily form a perfectly balanced composition with the receding lines of the shelves and ceiling tiles. Everything is rendered with a sepia undertone with measured depths and shadows, except the ceiling light rods which glow in a consistently artificial white into the distance. Along with the bright blue shirt on the central figure, the lights sear through the hazy background and almost bring the image out of the past. The moment is not frozen in time and instead flickers like a recollection from our own past.

Another memorable work is California Love, an image of a young couple playing guitar in a darkly lit living room. The colors of the scene have faded with time, but the viewer’s encounter with her bright smile seems serendipitous and dynamic. One could almost hear his music, smell the pineapples mixed with the thick summer air, and feel the Californian sun outside the walls. Holloway’s articulation of the vivacity of the plants and fruits make the unremarkable household appear abundant and self-sufficient. The text gives the image the aura of a vintage advertisement, and recontextualizes the private, humble moment as a lifestyle that, like nostalgia, is desirable and out of reach.