The Gaze: Martin Adalian

Martin Adalian contemplates the relationship between the observer and the observed in his newest paintings, currently on view at JoAnne Artman Gallery, New York.

These large canvases depict anonymous women whose faces are obscured by Adalian's extreme application of impasto. His unorthodox treatment of color pushes the boundaries of how we perceive these women in their environments. Adalian's subjects blend into the shades of pink, yellow, and gray paint that define them.

In "Since in Vain," Dalian has applied thick clusters of tar on to the oil and acrylic painting. These dark masses float around the woman's body as she reclines slightly onto her arms, creating the sense that part of her is floating away, or that tar is is falling from the sky. The overall tone of the piece is darkened by its hues of gray, black, and olive green, and the ominous presence of the crow, and yet, there is also a feeling of tranquility that emanates from the canvas.

Occasionally, these subjects reveal their faces from under the layers of paint to give the viewer a knowing glance, breaking the barrier between viewer and painting. The process of these encourages the viewer to reflect on their role as a voyeur.

Maintaining a sense of simplicity when constructing the figures' surroundings, Adalian is careful to not distract from the subject nor to distort how we view them.

In 'Watching," another woman stands slightly off center against a dark green backdrop. The ghosts of what looks like a stone bust and pedestals fade into the background. She turns her head away from the viewer with her arms crossed as bright white drops intersect her space. The viewer can fantasize about the subject and her story as she maintains her ambiguity. Devising focal points and redirecting gaze to areas of elaborate detail and the physicality of his mark making process, Adalian further breaches the boundaries of the conventional modes of portraiture.