Bad Painting Archive

 

Bad Painting is an ongoing series begun in 2013 and based on real events. This archive documents the development of the series over time.

The earlier works were predominantly acrylic paintings measuring 22.7 × 30.5 cm. From Bad Painting 358 onwards, oil became the primary medium. During 2026, the use of text was temporarily abandoned as the paintings became looser and less directly narrative.

From Bad Painting 462, text was reintroduced, often on the sides of the canvas rather than within the painted image. At the same time, a second standard format of approximately 61 × 76 cm was introduced, while larger formats continue to be used when the work requires them.

The visual language, scale and relationship between image and text have changed considerably over the life of the series, while the working process remains consistent: encounter, research, drawing and painting.

Contact / Catalogue

For an overview of the project in a more structured form, I’ve created a short flyer catalogue. If you would like to receive a copy, or if you're interested in exhibiting or discussing the work, please feel free to get in touch.

 

Quotes

"Jay Rechsteiner mines black gold – the seam of hate that runs through all of us that can manifest itself in public, if we don’t look out. And we have to look, and look out.  This is the real thing, art seeing human nature clearly as it is, not art imitating art, no conceptual illustrations of what we would like to be, no wishful thinking, no wokery.  His Bad Paintings are beautifully done – eyes turn into fangs and hate and fear stabs out of them, Dix with a dash of Ensor re-ignited now.  This is not art to hang in the home, nor invest in; it’s no comfort zone. Jay has re-invented public art in our times, art that warns as it sings, to be shown in galleries everywhere."
- Julian Spalding, former director of Sheffield, Manchester and Glasgow Art Galleries, art historian and writer

more quotes available on request

 

The archive includes sold and unavailable works. For enquiries about a specific painting, including current availability, please contact jay@jayrechsteiner.com .