Viewers have a chance to see a range of dynamic narrative paintings by a skillful artist who seeks to depict extreme melodrama and disrupt figure/background interplay. Sound interesting?
The Westmoreland Museum of American Art will open on December 8 a fascinating solo exhibition of paintings by Kenneth Nicholson. On view through February 4, “Dark Matter” is as much an exercise of the mind as it is the eyes. Nicholson’s engaging pictures present a fragmented reality, juxtaposing strong, planar elements with distorted figures and interiors. According to the press release, the extreme melodrama depicted and disruption between figure/background interplay “releases the character’s inner drama into the negative space.” The artist himself added, “There is a particular way that a shadow smacks against the wall behind to people eagerly avoiding eye contact. As one slips out of awareness, the weight of the room takes their place.”
To learn more, visit the Westmoreland Museum of American Art.
This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur magazine. To start receiving Fine Art Today for free, click here.