Dolls for Play

2024

Oil on canvas

137.16 × 114.3 cm (54 × 45 inches)

When sketching out dolls for play, I had a concept of adults, dressing in similar professional garb as the characters from my businessmen series, a group of paintings I started exhibiting with my firs solo show with T293 in 2022, being exposed as miniature dolls, being controlled by a child. I was intrigued by this dichotomy of traditional notions of power ultimately becoming miniscule, with the immature ruling. The child today is really in control. It’s an optimistic thought, yet youth can be controlled also. I wanted the canvas to have the language of advertising embedded into it. With chunky fast food commercial style burgers, tacos, and chicken legs. The original goal when starting the canvas was to leave it gestural. It is like that in areas, such as in the electric chair victim taking a bite of the giant, ideal burger. Yet, when executing the idea, I had to layer on more and more sparkles, objects, and dolls. Each flourish is like a delicate cherry with a nice, sweet, highlight brushstroke over its surface. I always say that if a painter can make toxic paints look like delicious food, they can convince the viewer of anything.