You Go Ahead I’m Alright 2020

Carrie Graber made this painting, “You Go Ahead I’m Alright”, with what looks like very deliberate, very smooth brushwork. The colours are muted and warm, ochres and oranges, giving it the feel of a slightly faded memory. Look at how she’s handled the paint. It’s so smooth, so blended, almost airbrushed. It’s not about the texture of the paint itself, but about capturing the light and atmosphere of this scene. The image is full of these little lights, dotted all over the courtyard, and each one is carefully placed. It’s like Graber is building the scene pixel by pixel. David Bowie is standing on the balcony here, as if caught between two worlds. The light is on his face, but his expression is unreadable. Graber reminds me of Alex Katz in this, with his cool, detached portraits, but there is also something very Hopper-esque in the way she captures the feeling of isolation and longing. Art is a conversation and Graber, Katz and Hopper are all in conversation with one another here.