This post has been updated. 

Originally from Bismarck, N.D. — and having spent his formative years in Midland, Mich. — Jonathan Ryan Rajewski now calls Detroit home. I first met Rajewski at a reading for his literary press, called [sic] — which he co-founded with Achille Bianchi — but didn’t get to sit down and talk with him until recently. We met up in the cafe at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (a Knight Arts grantee) to discuss his current collection of paintings, up now through June 2 at the Cass Cafe. Our conversation covered a lot of ground, weaving through philosophy, atonal music, experimental creative process, the magic of language and the advantages of being an artist in Detroit.

I’ll be the first to admit that Rajewski’s paintings took me by surprise. Although I had no real expectations going into the show, I certainly wasn’t expecting what I found — a collection of work that reflects a coherent artistic vision one might expect from an artist several decades older than Rajewski, not one who has only been painting since 2009. Set on enormous canvases, the paintings are bold and commanding, mysterious and accessible. Although it’s clear the collection was produced by one artist, each painting manages to be radically individual, showcasing a strong desire and talent for reinvention with each canvas. What’s more, all the paintings in the show were created within just a few months: a prodigious — even manic — rate of production.

The work demonstrates a studied absorption of numerous artistic figures, including Robert Motherwell, Robert Rauschenberg and Jean-Michel Basquiat, though the pieces maintain their originality. In our conversation, Rajewski made it clear the paintings themselves are not about producing finished pieces with clear representation, as much as they are about process. In fact, the many processes used to create the work include painting in the dark, painting with his left hand, pouring bottles of wines and soy sauce over canvas and pasting found newspapers. In the hands of a less-talented artist, the result would be a sloppy mess, but Rajewski is able to create legitimate compositions, successfully creating a space that is both chaotic and orderly, ineffable and palpable.

It’s always tempting to declare a young artist “the next big thing” — though making that declaration is hardly useful. To say that Rajewski’s current crop of work “shows promise” is not only an understatement, but also patronizing to the fully realized paintings he has already created. Which is really just to say that Rajewski’s current show is a success of the first order and one not to be missed.

Good thing, then, that the show will remain up at the Cass Cafe until June 2, along with the work of Scott Berels.

Cass Cafe: 4620 Cass Ave., 313-831-1400 casscafe.com