Curatorial notes
Scott Fraser, born in 1957, painted 'Life Raft IV' using oils to explore themes of fragility and vulnerability. Fraser uses traditional oil painting techniques to create an unsettling composition. The pears, one adorned with bandages, the other punctured with pushpins, sit atop a "Cremo" cigar box. This juxtaposition is rendered with meticulous detail, showcasing Fraser’s mastery of the medium. The artist's skill lies in the smooth, almost flawless finish, creating a hyperrealistic quality that invites closer inspection. The cigar box is branded with the name of a mass-produced item, a symbol of consumption and commerce. Fraser sets up a sharp contrast between natural forms, pears, and industrial products, pushpins and bandages. The production of these materials are a reflection on consumer culture and the vulnerability of living beings. The artist challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft by focusing on material culture, and the skilled labor involved in creating the cigar box.