Quid Pro Quo

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Fan - 12 Expert - 8
$4,500.00

Trending phrases in strange times.

Responses (2)

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Steven Curtis
Steven Curtis Artist

January 18, 2022

The eye of the beholder is what makes art so subjective. I see balance, yes, but conflict, both sides almost equally represented, yet opposed. Symbiology here would replace the large round circles with figures having legs, arms, etc. and their respective strengths equated to the supporting structure and position on the "field of battle"...the canvas edge. Because our left-to-right orientation in our western culture as far as story is concerned leads us to the right for a conclusion, as well as the dominance of the upper part of any frame, the top third that is, we'd have to say that black and white were truly balanced in this sense, for although the white "aggressive" pieces on the left and lower side appear to be "pushing" to the right, the black and "defensive" pieces are higher, even though they are being pushed off the canvas.

Using the rule of thirds as the basis for analysis, you'd have to see that the lower, smaller white circle and the "sled" that the larger circles appear to be standing on (also headed towards the right I might add) are at just about the lower third line, and the area below the "sled" all appears to be supporting structure to the upper portion. Yet it seems that the black larger circle is drawing it's strength and support from the lower right portion of the canvas, and conversely the larger white circle is getting some kind of hierarchical grid of help from the heavens in the upper left. The weighted figures and lines do indeed all add up to a balance that is almost unexplainable.

I'd be interested to see if there are any mathematicians out there who could measure these lines and areas and come up with an equation from this. I bet it would indeed turn out to be balanced. Which would mean of course that Bill Stone is either an intuitive "polymath", like many musical composers as well, or he actually did figure out the math ahead of time prior to committing to this particular pattern.

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John Crowther
John Crowther Critic

January 17, 2022

Cryptic and calligraphic, Bill Stone’s "Quid Pro Quo" evokes some ancient and forgotten time, one told in runes and filled with magic. The hieroglyphic-like forms across the canvas are reminiscent of famed Pop Artist Keith Haring's poignant and complex work. Haring took equal inspiration from New York City graffiti and ancient Egypt's tomb walls and scrolls. Stone shares Haring's preoccupation with hieroglyphics and constructing a unique visual language.

The alternation of solid black circles and their white counterparts establish a pleasing symmetry and compositional balance to the work. The viewer's eyes dart around the white lines like one caught in a maze. The labyrinthine forms draw the viewer in and hold their attention as they navigate the black and white pathways. Once their journey across the canvas ends, they can earnestly begin to take in the beauty of the simple alien shapes.

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Bill Stone
Creator
Category
Abstraction, Abstract
Type
Painting - Unframed
Materials
Oil, Canvas
Dimensions
60.00 inches wide
60.00 inches tall
2.00 inches deep
Weight
15.00 lbs
Location
Colorado Springs, CO, US
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