Weiner is best known for his large-scale American flag monoprint paintings and his works in charcoal on canvas . These works are notable for advancing the American flag painting lineage by using the American flag as a brush and material rather than an illusionistic element or painterly symbol . Weiner 's gestural and abstract charcoal works , which reference current events , are created using giant willow branches and detritus from his studio . An article in '' Westword '' explains how , in his studio , " virtually every surface is covered in a layer of charcoal and paint . " The use of these processes was on display in the works shown at Krupic Kersting Gallery in Cologne , Germany , which received mixed reactions in critical circles . In a review of the 2018 exhibition highlights of the Düsseldorf Cologne Open , '' Die Welt 's '' Alexandra Wach remarked that Weiner 's works are " '' weniger lieblich '' " or " less lovely " but that they also gave insight into the dark sensitivities of his generation regarding American politics and democracy . Wach also commented on Weiner 's work in '' Monopol Magazin für Kunst und Leben '' , where she described his American flag paintings as a " '' spätromantische Ode an den Untergang '' " or " a late romantic ode to the downfall . " In a 2017 article regarding Weiner 's residency at Long Road Projects in Jacksonville , '' Folio Weekly 's '' Madeleine Peck Wagner described his flag paintings as " designed to challenge viewer 's ( and his own ) notions of patriotism , nationalism and anxiety " and remarked that " censorship is a topic close to the artist . His earlier works dealt with how information is disseminated — paintings that look like redacted documents — and these flag works take the literal fabric of patriotism as their material . " Weiner is also known for his earlier series of works focusing on the legal trial surrounding James Holmes and the 2012 Aurora theater shooting , which comment on the zeitgeist of a city rattled by mass violence and suggest peripheral issues relating to censorship within the American legal system . In the lead up to a 2016 exhibition , '' Concrete Playground 's '' Sarah Ward described how " the community Denver artist Paul Weiner called his own was rocked by tragedy when a man opened fire in a Colorado movie theatre " and " the horrific events sparked another kind of art : a response . " '' 5280 Magazine '' describes how his redacted paintings , which are direct transcriptions of significant legal documents from this trial , " became more conceptual in nature " and " those dark black lines became a recurring element in Weiner 's earliest explorations of the topic . '' Young Space 's '' Kate Mothes describes the impact of " violence , especially in such close proximity to the Aurora cinema and its impact on his community " and how it " instilled an entirely new meaning and significance as an expression of self , the politics of painting , and his surroundings . " Weiner 's solo and group exhibitions have taken place at Mana Contemporary , Chicago , IL ; HF Johnson Gallery of Art , Carthage College , Kenosha , Wisconsin ; Leeds Arts University , Leeds , UK ; York St John University , York , UK ; Krupic Kersting Gallery , Cologne , Germany ; TWFINEART , Brisbane , Australia ; Durden and Ray Gallery , Los Angeles , CA ; Re : Art , Brooklyn , NY ; MARQUEE Projects , Bellport , NY ; SABOT/MIMI/FASTER , Berlin , Germany ; Long Road Projects , Jacksonville , Florida ; Alto Gallery , Denver , Colorado ; Chabah Yelmani Gallery , Brussels , Belgium ; YIA Art Fair , Brussels , Belgium ; ARTBandini Fair , Los Angeles , California ; Miscellaneous Press , Los Angeles , California ; and CTRL+SHFT , Oakland , CA among others
2012 Aurora theater shooting
2012 Aurora, Colorado shooting
Paul Weiner