26 x 34 cm | 10 x 13 in
Subject: People
Tags:
Apocalyptic
Original painting in oil on paper.
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Chris Grisley’s work is charged with history – the history of painting, eternal portraiture, and methodical mark making. Initially, his pieces exude a ‘stately’ air. But this is quickly (and slyly) undercut by so-called errors; smudges, smears, and imperfections add up to create deeply unnerving work. Always dramatic, Grisley’s use of scale and evocative brushwork transports us into another world, where we’re left to grasp for as much detail as possible. Ghostly figures are richly dressed, but faceless. White-lined figures melt into forestry. Viewers are left to contemplate anxiety itself, a yearning uncannily reflective of contemporary uncertainties. Grisley’s careful method, colouring, and tonal variety ends up bringing us back to ourselves.