Genesis Chemical Wedding 2013

Joe Machine made "Genesis Chemical Wedding", we don’t know exactly when, using paint on canvas. Looking at it, I’m struck by the commitment to the painted line. All those tiny marks feel so personal. There’s the way that the trees are built up, almost like strands of thread. The overall texture of the canvas is built up with small deliberate marks, the artist really gets into the details. I am drawn to the lower left corner, where the foliage is made up of crosses and tiny pink flowers, like the artist has painted a tapestry. The palette is pared back, almost medieval, with muted greens, blues, and browns. You could imagine this piece in conversation with Stanley Spencer or Paula Rego. It invites us into a world that is rich with art-historical meaning, but which is also highly idiosyncratic. There’s a real tension between the classical subject matter and the apparent naivety of the mark-making, leaving you with a sense of unease. I find it fascinating.