Still in the Chaos

Description

“Still in the Chaos” captures a moment of serene stillness set against a backdrop teeming with layered history and frenzied energy. The subject, a lithe woman with medium-sized, low-hanging breasts and shoulder-length straight dark hair, exudes quiet resilience. Her loose shirt, slipping gently off her shoulders, and the simple, self-tied rope harness accentuate her understated yet commanding presence. This figure is both vulnerable and autonomous, inviting contemplation of her strength amidst the chaos.

The palette—soft pinks, rich purples, shimmering golds, and hints of blue—creates a sense of warmth and depth that counterbalances the intensity of the piece’s textures. Her torso, painted with acrylic pens in a raw and frenetic style, forms a striking contrast to the background’s layered complexity. Though her posture is still, the lines composing her figure are chaotic and urgent, mirroring the tension between internal calm and external turbulence.

The background is a story unto itself, a palimpsest of gel-printed layers created from blot and roll-off papers salvaged from earlier works. Each fragment of the background carries remnants of past projects, transformed into the foundation for this piece. This layering process gives the background a sense of depth and memory, as though the surface has lived multiple lives before becoming part of the final composition. The textured layers hold whispers of their origins, lending a sense of history and evolution to the piece, even before the figure is introduced.

This duality—of chaos and calm, past and present—resonates in every element of the work. The frenzied drawing style used to depict the woman suggests motion and energy, but the finished figure radiates stillness. She becomes the focal point of an otherwise tumultuous scene, embodying the paradox of being grounded amidst disorder.

Subtle gold accents thread through the piece, hinting at divinity and value, while the sparing use of blue suggests quiet introspection. The dominant pink and purple tones lend warmth and sensuality, softening the harsher edges of the composition. Together, these colors create an emotional depth that pulls the viewer further into the work.

“Still in the Chaos” is a meditation on resilience and transformation. The layered, textured background is more than just a visual element—it is a metaphor for the accumulation of experiences, memories, and histories that shape every individual. The figure, drawn with urgency but composed in stillness, serves as a reminder of the strength it takes to remain grounded in life’s inherent messiness.

By embracing imperfection and disorder, “Still in the Chaos” invites viewers to reflect on their own palimpsests—the layers of life that shape them—and to find beauty in the moments of stillness within the chaos.

Framed in a plain black frame, sized 8×10, and a white mat inside.