“Aidid and His Childhood Friends” byGerald Lovell

32 x 49 inches,oil on canvas–unframed (2018)

My works are compilations: layers upon layers of paint, giving way to form and depth. I paint as a documenter. Painting in three dimensions best conveys my narrative. The thicker the paint, the more emphasis on the object. When introducing myself to new people, I often hesitate to describe myself as a painter. My ordinarily lived life is the window through which I observe the subject matter of my work. Subjectively, my interactions and my reaction to things as I experience them bring life to the art. Objectively, the subtle qualities of my experience are preserved when I dont break the fourth wall, so to speak. Together these perspectives offer a balance that is often ironically thrown off the moment I mention that I am an artist. Again, I paint as a documenter; a script and roles obstruct the narrative.

In painting I work to convey not only my outward perspectives but also the internal struggle between myself, the creator, versus my choice of medium and technique. Wanting to make beautiful paintings also brings rise to the question, what exactly is a beautiful painting. I find it important to convey things with a certain degree of realism. To do this, I observe as is; As the documenter, I am careful not to subject the subjects to fictitious narratives. This way, I can be critiqued on practice, technique, and overall quality of work rather than making work that attempts to induce a particular reaction from the audience.

A Show of Portraits by Gerald Lovell and Jurell Cayetano (A Short Film) from myfriendcharley on Vimeo.