Is Mr. Lynch as compelling a fine artist as he has been a filmmaker? The short answer is no. Images of sex, violence, trauma and black comedy abound, but many of the qualities that make his movies so singular — so “Lynchian” — are missing. The convoluted narratives, shifts from noirish realism to hallucinatory surrealism, erotic sensuality and creepy voyeurism, atmospheres of suspense and dread, mood swings from wonder to hysteria to bottomless grief, battles between innocence and evil: these dimensions aren’t fully realized in Mr. Lynch’s paintings.
Nevertheless, for Lynch completists, it’s a fascinating, must-see show.
Exploring David Lynch’s Paintings and Drawings – NYTimes.com.