mellow | Something like love

Brian Calvin: Exploring Nothingness

Posted in Fine Art, Pretty things by linhdy on February 14, 2010

First off, happy Valentine’s Day! In a very, UN-Valentine’s Day fashion, here are some…shall we say un-cheery paintings by Brian Calvin. What better way to celebrate cupid than look at paintings that embody a certain tension…

Calvin paints figurative paintings of androgenous, bohemian-esque young people– who seemingly hang around in an odd state of ennui. He’s been compared to David Hockey, and that’s not half bad. Either way, I can’ help but come back to his study of nothingness. It’s disconcerting to look at the kids’ elongated figures, mellow eyes and inexpressive mouths. But yet, I can’t look away. Something odd is going on. These paintings don’t have a set beginning or an end– but they take a long time to explain their nothingness. And that is a sweet story indeed.