In January of 2022, Gabe Cortese came to Los Angeles to begin work at the Cabin LA on a series of  life-size scenes depicting amalgamations of him and his partner’s bodies. Cortese’s paintings reflect  worlds built around queer narratives that explore yearning and affection through both a comedic and  dramatic lens. He frequently incorporates familiar compositions found throughout art history ⎯ 

particularly religious paintings from the Renaissance and Mannerist periods, subverting common  motifs, like The Adoration or the Enlightenment, by using those themes to build narratives about  queerness and sexuality. Cortese also notes that his works serve as a “mirror” to analyze his own life  and past experiences as well as a means to muse over what the future may hold. In late 2022,  Cortese had a solo exhibition at M+B.