Kenne Gregoire, Intimacy, 2011

Gregoire is a Dutch artist known for his still lives and images of Commedia Dell’Arte, but probably best known for this painting of a couple embracing across a table. Gregoire’s use of perspective is intriguing, often giving us multiple viewpoints in the same picture. In this scene paintings lean against the back wall; we assume that we are in the artist’s studio seeing the relationship between artist and model. The story is hard to discern, but the languor of the figures conveys a feeling of sadness. The shabbiness of the furniture and walls suggests decay. Is their relationship over? Are these two about to be split up and are saying their last goodbyes?
The artist writes “Painting is the utmost devious and inefficient way to capture your ideas and emotions. But exactly that, the deviousness and many limitations that come with it, make the outdated art of painting so intriguing.”

http://www.kennegregoire.com/

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I see the story as the relationship has been smoldering for a while under the surface as she modeled for him and this is the moment of sweet surrender.

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