Multiple fragments are brought together in this image. The foreground is populated by a series of characters that arrive loaded with certain associations. The background is covered buy three frames that depict the same figure in various melodramatic contortions and performances across a bed.
The image looks to deal with narrative in painting. The presentation of various moments in flux, a kind of looped moment of horror, is a nod to such devices in artists such as Titian, bacon and Francesca Woodman.
Rather than present a linear narrative the work looks to play on the ambiguity of painting. Links and associations are made between parts without a coherent whole every being pieced together. The picture collapses under the scrutiny of total logic. The artificiality and instability is apt, as this is a central theme of the works content. Thus the mechanics of viewing reflect the nature of the subject matter.
I think what you have succeeded in with this painting, is to bring together disparate moments and characters and make them work on one image without ever appearing to unite the imageor the characters as a whole, much like neo rauch. This is a really difficult thing to do so well done. There is something I still don’t like about the picture, i think its the finish so don’t get a boner yet. The drip on the furthest right sprawling character really gets in the way, my eye is always drawn to it, i think maybe you could have painted this out and a stronger sense of space would have emerged because of that. Conversely the use of difuse wet on wet drips in place of the blue on the far left maybe could have lightened the all-over materiality of the paint which can get a bit oppressive if you look at the painting for too long, making it feel a little sickly. Good though, keep on going.
Andy
12 Feb 09 at 3:21 pm