Anamnesis
From the post-Italian series. The oil paintings that followed a journey to Rome, Ravenna, Florence and Orvieto were radically different from those that preceded. Clearly influenced by Renaissance paintings found in the museums and cathedrals of Italy, they followed decades of strictly abstract work. Anamnesis has been described as the shedding of constraints by a mysterious figure. The striped wall is reminiscent of the marble walls of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, and the Duomo di Orvieto. Signed and numbered 30"x24" print- limited edition of 25,
Responses (2)
March 27, 2022
The robe's fabric in this series has this etheric flow that give off an other worldly feel as if they surround an other-than human forms beneath them.
March 28, 2022
While being influenced by the paintings in the cathedrals of Europe, I was trying to avoid the obvious connection to religion. The flow was an effort to, at least suggest, that what lay beneath was open to question. Otherworldly is a perfect description. I still sense a feminine presence, although that may just be me. It's interesting, I invariably assign specific intention to other artists when viewing their work, and yet, I rarely start with that specific intention.
March 16, 2022
Bruce Dean’s "Anamnesis" is as enigmatic as it is figurative and detailed. Much of its mystery stems from the incongruity of its effect on the viewer: the work is somehow recognizable while simultaneously wholly unrecognizable. The amorphous flowing robes dominating the center of the canvas are immediately registered as a human. However, after a few seconds, the mass of moving garments appears less human. This dichotomy of perception gives the painting an almost surreal appearance (one could even call it painterly Magical Realism). The anthropomorphic concoction of fluid garments sends the viewer down a rabbit hole of possibilities and contradictions that inspire endless contemplation. For me, the most remarkable aspect of the work is how it collapses the human figure into its environment; the central form becomes one with its surroundings instead of a visitor within them.
- Category
- Historical and Political, Figurative
- Type
- Other Art
- Materials
- Ink
- Dimensions
-
24.00 inches wide
30.00 inches tall
0.20 inches deep - Weight
- 1.00 lbs
- Location
- Los Angeles, CA, US
