A stunning collection of 40 gouache paintings by the futurist Syd Mead is now on exhibit in a Chelsea gallery in Manhattan.
Technically and conceptually brilliant.
The work offers a broad range of paintings, spanning five decades of Mead’s artistic legacy. Well worth the trip if you are a fan of the genre or his art. It is a real pleasure to examine so many masterpieces up close, attempting to decipher his technical prowess.
Syd Mead: Future Pastime
534 W 26th St
NY, NY
Tues-Sun 10-6pm

Hanging until May 21

From the Syd Mead Promotional materials:

We are pleased to announce “Future Pastime”, a landmark exhibition in New York City curated by William Corman & Elon Solo, showcasing 40 years of Syd Mead’s visionary paintings.

”Future Pastime” explores the mind of the man who shaped the way we see tomorrow. Mead’s future is not one of sterile minimalism, cold automation, or far fetched absurdism. It is aching, alive, kinetic, and deeply human. Imagine a leisurely drive through a cerulean-blue interstellar highway, a dog race featuring mechanical greyhounds soaring above skyscrapers, a dinner party where guests don sleek, metallic couture.

Syd’s meticulous gouache paintings render the future as something tactile, filled with light, movement, and boundless possibility. His work reflects a humanity that, while evolving alongside technology, remains deeply connected to its traditions and social bonds. By seamlessly blending the familiar with the fantastical, ”Future Pastime” underscores the truth at the core of Mead’s legacy:

These are not abstract utopias but blueprints for a world just beyond our reach. The future isn’t something distant. It’s already here—we’re just catching up.