September 27, 2010

Young Mary Shelley, by Esao Andrews



The introduction to Esao Andrews’ current exhibition at the Jonathan Levine Gallery in New York states that the artist’s “distinctly figurative oil paintings on wood panel feature dark, surreal characters set within haunted atmospheres, blending erotic and often frightening imagery to form a ghost-like underworld.

Andrews’ atmospheric portrait captures the proud spirit and inner strength of a Young Mary Shelley, as she might have appeared around the time she wrote Frankenstein. Posing against a heavily textured background of foreboding clouds, the morbid themes of her novel and the tragedies that hounded her life are called up by a dark, batwing shawl out of which peer an owl, a death’s head, snake, feather and eye motifs. Her dress seems to deteriorate into diaphanous lace, as if woven from cobwebs and blood.


Explore Esao Andrews’ remarkable art on his excellent website.

Art from Andrews’ exhibition, Solid Void, which runs until October 9, 2010, is on view on the Jonathan Levine Gallery website.


3 comments:

  1. That certainly is striking. Bravo.

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  2. This is an amazing piece! And looking at some of the art's work on his webpage, I can't help but think of a darker, more sinister version of Dali's art. I love it! :D

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