Cocainium 

Troy Brooks painted ‘Cocainium’ using traditional oil techniques, creating a surreal and unsettling image. Brooks's meticulous brushwork results in smoothly blended surfaces that give the figure a palpable, almost hyperrealistic quality. Notice how the character’s skin is stretched, almost latex-like, emphasizing the contorted posture and insectile anatomy. The contrast between the figure's refined features and the monstrous spider legs creates a striking tension, a collision of beauty and the grotesque. The candy and cherries at the base of the figure, rendered with sharp detail, serve as bait. The traditional techniques employed in creating this image are juxtaposed with its provocative subject matter, forcing us to reconsider the social associations we have with these media. The painting's unsettling imagery prompts consideration of beauty standards, body modification, and the underlying darkness of contemporary culture. It reminds us that material and process are never neutral.