Translucency 

Alex Gross made this painting, "Translucency," with oil on canvas, using the traditional techniques of a painter. What is interesting about this painting is that Gross combines classical methods with a hyper-contemporary sensibility. Look closely, and you will see that he has rendered his figure with great attention to detail, using translucent glazes. The overall effect is undeniably surreal. It evokes what we might call the "uncanny valley" effect, where things seem both familiar and yet deeply strange. The smooth surface of the painting further contributes to this feeling, because brushstrokes are almost absent. This gives the painting a slickness associated more with reproduction than with the handmade. In this respect, Gross is commenting on the way that images circulate in our world, and the way that our perception is influenced by these omnipresent visuals. By bringing a highly refined technique to bear on the experience of contemporary image culture, Gross asks us to reconsider the boundary between craft and fine art.