I was blown away by Richard Pasquarelli's solo exhibition, As It Should Be at BravinLee Programs. The show is up until May 14, 2022. GO SEE IT!  526 West 26th Street #211 NYC 10001 212-462-4404   [email protected] Hours: Wednesday-Saturday 12-5

Richard Pasquarelli is a New York based artist whose paintings study the psychological relationships between our minds and the physical world.

He has what he refers to as Organizational OCD. This condition was originally pointed out to him around 10 years ago by his then teen-aged sons after a long period of watching their dad continuously straighten out everything around the house, including their casually placed backpacks. It was a bit of a wake up call for Richard and he went into a deep dive researching his condition, including attending a professional conference on hoarding and visiting hoarders' homes, immersing himself in their environment and personal stories.

RIchard Pasquarelli's journey is a great example of how art is healing. Not only did Richard's experience inspire a plethora of new work for him, it helped him understand humanity and himself a whole lot better. I was fascinated and filled with questions as Richard parsed his feelings and experiences about himself, his perfectionism, and what he's learned about himself from connecting with hoarders who are the exact opposite of him. And of course how all of this has manifested in his work. Plus loads of laughing. Richard is a fun guy who's not afraid of who he is.

Richard describes his understanding about his work: My paintings study the physical manifestation of psychological states of mind. Through analysis of my own compulsions for perfection and order, and research into mental health, psychology, the physical properties of nature, and philosophy, I seek a better understanding of the connections between mind and matter.

To build upon my research, I have immersed myself into the study of OCD and hoarding disorder by conducting field research in the homes of people affected by these conditions. The knowledge gained through my interviews and the thousands of photographs I take during my visits have become integral parts of my process. By creating artworks based on these spaces, I have come to perceive our physical surroundings as a manifestation of the psyche. My paintings are more than representations of people’s possessions, they are portraits of their minds.

RIchard's Website HERE.

Richard's Instagram HERE.