From the press release:
On Saturday February 11, Corey Helford Gallery is proud to present the highly-anticipated exhibition of new works by Southern California artist Josh Agle, better known as “Shag.”

Entitled “Animal Kingdom,” his second solo exhibition with the gallery was named while painting in his studio during the Kentucky Derby. “I heard that a Thoroughbred named Animal Kingdom had won the Kentucky Derby. Since the painting I was working on had a horse in it, and all the paintings for the exhibit featured animals, it seemed to sum up the body of work I was making.”

Inspired by vintage animal costumes, Furry fandom and anime characters who dress as animals, all of the paintings in the exhibition feature men and women in animal attire. The concept for the show was inspired by a 1970s sewing pattern for an animal costume. While the body remained the same, the ears and tail for each animal changed, transforming it into a tiger, a bunny, a bear or a mouse. Agle adds, “I’ve noticed a lot of teenagers and hipsters recently wearing hoodies and beanies with animal ears, antlers or horns. Maybe there is a subconscious societal urge to return to our animalistic natures. This is a theme I’ve flirted with in the past, but never this directly.”

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