My work explores the ambivalence that grows from contradiction. What happens to us when the familiar becomes unfamiliar? I have explored this theme through sculpture and paintings.
My work evolves from memories. The sculpture is based on architecture and has a stage-set quality to it. The paintings are based on old snapshots from the 1940’s and 1950’s, when film was slower and people posed stiff and self-conscious, uncomfortably aware of an audience. The sculpture exists absent of people; the figures in my paintings exist without the anchor of architecture.
All my work asks the viewer to look at the dis-ease of the image or object before them. The paintings especially are direct, and disturbing in their directness. I have chosen to use a traditional format for the paintings (portraiture and full figure portraiture) with the idea of self-examination in mind.
My objects all use traditional building materials – wood, drywall, and the construction materials that surrounded me growing up. My paintings are oil-stick, or oil-pastel, and are comprised of many layers of color. The layering of paint builds a highly textured, almost sculptural surface. I am in love with the lushness of paint.
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Artist's Statement
My work explores the ambivalence that grows from contradiction. What happens to us when the familiar becomes unfamiliar? I’ve explored this theme through sculpture and paintings.
My work evolves from memories. The sculpture is based on architecture and has a stage-set quality to it. The paintings are based on old snapshots from the 1940’s and 1950’s, when film was slower and people posed stiff and self-conscious, uncomfortably aware of an audience. The sculpture exists absent of people; the figures in my paintings exist without the anchor of architecture.
All my work asks the viewer to look at the dis-ease of the image or object before them. The paintings especially are direct, and disturbing in their directness. I have chosen to use a traditional format for the paintings (portraiture and full figure portraiture) with the idea of self-examination in mind.
My objects all use traditional building materials – wood, drywall, and the construction materials that surrounded me growing up. My paintings are oil-stick, or oil-pastel, and are comprised of many layers of color. The layering of paint builds a highly textured, almost sculptural surface. I am in love with the lushness of paint.
My work evolves from memories. The sculpture is based on architecture and has a stage-set quality to it. The paintings are based on old snapshots from the 1940’s and 1950’s, when film was slower and people posed stiff and self-conscious, uncomfortably aware of an audience. The sculpture exists absent of people; the figures in my paintings exist without the anchor of architecture.
All my work asks the viewer to look at the dis-ease of the image or object before them. The paintings especially are direct, and disturbing in their directness. I have chosen to use a traditional format for the paintings (portraiture and full figure portraiture) with the idea of self-examination in mind.
My objects all use traditional building materials – wood, drywall, and the construction materials that surrounded me growing up. My paintings are oil-stick, or oil-pastel, and are comprised of many layers of color. The layering of paint builds a highly textured, almost sculptural surface. I am in love with the lushness of paint.
2 comments:
Diva - I'm slow on the pick-up. I just realized that you're an artist too.
Did you ever hear of a Chicago artist named Charles Cooper? He was a friend of Mathman's parents. He lived in Rogers Park.
Dcup, no - don't know Charles Cooper at all. Hmmm. What kind of work did he do?
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