Nick Gentry Analysis

Analogue Daydream

Film negatives, x-rays and oil paint on acrylic sheets in vintage wooden LED lightbox crate
60cm x 40cm

Here, the artist has stuck some film negatives and x-rays onto acrylic sheets on a wooden LED lightbox crate, blocked out the background of the person with white paint and shaded parts of the face such as the highlights and shadows with oil paint. Again, like with the colours of the floppy discs, he has used the light and dark bits and the colours to add depth and colour to the portrait. He has used the dark shades in the x-rays for her dark hair.

Compared to Midnight Angel and his other paintings on floppy discs, this painting is very warm toned and a lot less eerie and creepy, but equally as effective.

All of these elements create another very unique, interesting, 3D and realistic looking painting which very effectively uses recycled materials and therefore fits very well with the theme of Trash to Treasure.

Midnight Angel

Oil paint & used computer disks on wood
113cm x 90cm

 

Gentry has stuck some recycled floppy disks from computers onto a background of wood and has lined them up so they are all facing the same way apart from the two near the eyes and has used the circular part of the floppy disc as the pupils. In his other pieces, he has done this for the whole eye because the works have been smaller, I find this bigger one less creepy than the smaller ones as the bigger ones only have a circle for the eye.

He has then drew on the outline of the person and painted the space behind the model to accentuate the portrait. He has very effectively used the colours of the different floppy discs to colour and add depth to the face and used oil paint to shade in areas of the face, highlight areas and also add a small bit of colour to the lips, creating a very 3D realistic and unique painting.

Overall, the image is very cold and slightly eerie, but I really like the effect of it as it is unique and uses the ideas of Trash to Treasure really well.