The Fantasy Flower Series was born directly out of his Chinese Restaurant Series. Similarly rooted in kitsch, both works are flamboyant but without pretense. Salonen’s firm grasp on scale, as well as his high level of craftsmanship, elevate what could otherwise be trite or insincere. Salonen is unconcerned with waning trends, trusting his confidence to produce work whose unconventional salience might just be an antidote for the unending cynicism currently dominating the art world.