In this
response I will focus my attention on the artist Guy Denning. Denning’s work
comments on today’s societal conditions, and his views sheds light on the
influence of politics on current events. Denning makes it very clear that the
commentary expressed in his work is his opinion, and that one doesn’t have to
agree with his opinion to understand his work (Brian Sherwin, “Art Space Talk: Guy Denning”, Interview). Guy Denning is a highly skilled painter; his
work evokes a strong emotional presence through his use of dramatic layering.
In “Vanity Fair” (A piece in the set of “Five Eleven”, 2007) Denning focused on
the human aspect of the tragic events that happened in September 11th,
2001. The formal elements are very dramatic; the strong diagonal lines of the
towers shift the perspective, as if it were in a first-person point of view.
The muted sky blends with the intensity of the bellowing smoke, further
emphasizing the subject matter of the towers. The specks of debris are
accompanied by a red smear across the affected target, humanizing the subject,
spilling the blood from the towers. The intensity of the impact is shown
through the subtle scratch marks on the canvas, which not only direct the
debris but also add to the intensity through its dynamic properties.

The subject of war is also shown in
Guy Dennings’ “Ch’io ‘l vidi omo di
sangue e di crucci” (“I saw a man of
blood and wrath” a piece in the set of “Dante’s
Inferno”, 2011). In this seven-paneled painting, which is laid out in the
form of a cross Denning references the story of Dante’s Inferno with modern
warfare. The main subject dominating the top five panels are a military
helicopter (Possibly a Comanche), and the secondary subject in the lower two
panels is a deceased bird (Possibly a Sparrow). The two subjects are linked
with paint drippings that seem to represent the effects of war, the loss of
life and the disregard for innocence that man itself may deem insignificant. Denning’s use
of texture through paint and scratch marks invites the viewer into the visual
setting of a warzone; a very chaotic, and unpredictable reality.
-Images from: guydenning.org
-Guy Denning - Dante Project
-Brian Sherwin, “Art Space Talk: Guy Denning”, Interview
-Images from: guydenning.org
-Guy Denning - Dante Project
-Brian Sherwin, “Art Space Talk: Guy Denning”, Interview
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