Ivanna #3 2019

Adam Caldwell’s oil painting, Ivanna #3, is this push-pull of figuration and abstraction. It's a beautiful tension! The smooth realism in Ivanna’s face is interrupted by these graphic blocks and slashes of red, pink, and blue. It's almost like he’s saying, “Hey, don’t get too comfortable just looking *at* her." Caldwell isn't just painting a face; he's laying bare the *process* of painting. I'm drawn to how the bright red paint obscures half of Ivanna’s face, it's so bold. It's like a mask, hiding and revealing at the same time. The drips and splatters feel spontaneous, contrasting the tight rendering elsewhere. This reminds me of Francis Bacon's portraits, with their fractured and distorted features. Both artists seem interested in how paint can both represent and *de*construct the human form. Art isn't about answers, it's about the questions.