Dylan Cram

The recent work stems from the representation of individuality as understood through the narrative structures of film and television. While it can be superficially categorized as portraiture, it really has more to do with characterization than any attempt to faithfully render the personality or essence of an individual.

Rather than depicting a specific human subject, the work attempts to provide a space where the drama of an enacted moment can be studied. In actuality, the figures depicted are empty husks onto which we project our own interpretation: the lighting, the 'method' acting, the allure of costume, makeup and hair, accentuate our ability to tell stories, even with limited information.

These emptied-out icons are stripped of narrative structure, supporting actors or any apparent context. They are made still, and yet tremble and shimmer in their solitude. Brush strokes are minimized as if to emphasize to sheen of the 'silver screen'; paint is blurred and softened to imply a shifting moment rather than a static one; the glow of the canvas itself is an invitation to stay, even though the moment is shifting. These are figures in-between stories, in-between thoughts and words, in-between action, much as we are ourselves.