A Rooftop in Tribeca 2010

David Michael Hinnebusch made A Rooftop in Tribeca with what looks like oil, or maybe acrylic paint, and possibly some collage too, going by the layered, complex surface. There’s a real push-pull going on, as if the artist is revealing and concealing at the same time. The paint is applied in layers, some thin and transparent, others thick and opaque, creating a sense of depth. It’s like Hinnebusch is digging into the canvas, trying to excavate something. Take a look at the figure on the right, those arms crossed, like a challenge or maybe a dance move? The gesture seems so sure, but then the features of the face are blurred and obscured, and it’s as if the artist can’t quite settle on a fixed image. This kind of mark making reminds me of work by Francis Picabia; both artists seem to embrace uncertainty and ambiguity as part of the creative process. It’s this willingness to explore different possibilities that makes the piece so engaging.