This Side of Waking 2016

Joshua Flint made This Side of Waking, probably in the last few years, with oil paint. Flint’s process seems to be about excavating images from a sea of paint. The surface has a ghostly quality, like memory itself. Look closely at the standing figure. See how Flint allows the paint to drip down the canvas, blurring the line between the figure and its surroundings. The thin washes of color create a sense of depth, but also uncertainty. The palette is subdued, almost monochromatic, lending the scene a dreamlike atmosphere. There’s something unsettling in this piece. Is it the animal hanging in the open doorway? Or maybe it's the contrast between the figure's vulnerability and the dilapidated setting? It reminds me of Luc Tuymans, the way he uses muted colors and unsettling imagery to create a sense of unease. Art doesn't need to be literal; sometimes, the most powerful statements are the ones that leave room for questions.