Nocturne 

Curator: Troy Brooks’ “Nocturne” invites us into a dark, almost dreamlike cityscape, rendered in acrylic paint with striking detail. What strikes you first about it? Editor: The palpable sense of stillness, absolutely. It's as if the very air is viscous, a tangible quiet blankets everything. The subdued lighting, mostly greens and blues, contributes to the rather melancholy mood. Curator: Absolutely. Brooks' works frequently navigate the space between vulnerability and strength in the feminine form. What do you think that placement suggests about her social context and the role she embodies within this carefully crafted reality? Editor: The woman, posed formally near a heavy wooden door and an old lamppost, appears almost as a luminescent statue amidst a play of textures and forms—the rigid geometry of the buildings contrasts with the curves of her draped robe, offering an immediate visual richness. Semiotically, this contrast enhances her isolation and poise, underscoring a feeling of otherworldly detachment. Curator: It's a haunting tableau— the nearby "Death & Co" sign adding an additional layer to the narrative, highlighting themes of mortality, existence and possibly even societal precarity. Her quiet presence becomes almost defiant against such bold proclamations. Brooks consistently employs such signs as commentary, framing women as being constantly at odds with the world built around them. Editor: The neon sign definitely introduces tension. From a purely visual perspective, the color adds an aggressive pop against the muted backdrop, guiding the viewer's eye across the scene, making her serenity seem all the more calculated. It draws attention to line, form, color and the illusionistic space. Curator: I'd agree. What’s quite fascinating is Brooks' artistic ability to interweave various styles —from pop-surrealism's love of the bizarre, to classic figurative elements, into something so utterly distinctive and pointedly narrative. She is using familiar vocabularies, only to reshape and repurpose the narrative roles afforded to the feminine form. Editor: It's that reinterpretation of familiar tropes where it all comes together. Curator: Exactly! “Nocturne”, like much of Brooks’ body of work, exists as a challenge— pushing for narrative agency while questioning imposed identities. Editor: The subdued tones and composition provide a stark beauty that cannot be easily categorized. This will reward repeat viewing.