Jezebel 

Troy Brooks' "Jezebel" presents us with an oil painting of a slender woman in a vivid red dress, a composition dominated by a stark contrast between the figure and the ethereal, almost clinical setting. The smoothness of the dress contrasts with the rich texture of the white rug, a tension that draws the eye and sets the stage for a compelling visual narrative. The stark white of the room, punctuated by the imposing white door and hints of ghostly hands, lends itself to a semiotic reading of purity versus desire. The woman, with her elongated neck and towering white hair, borders on the surreal, as if Brooks is pushing the boundaries of conventional beauty standards. She's an enigmatic figure, a signifier of a mysterious story, and Brooks uses these elements to challenge our perceptions and invite us to question the meanings we ascribe to them. Consider the function of that crimson dress—a bold splash that disrupts the monochrome, almost daring us to decipher its place in the larger composition. Here, Brooks plays with form and color to pose questions about narrative and identity, leaving us to our own interpretations within this carefully constructed tableau.