Facets of Speech 2020

Joshua Flint made this painting, Facets of Speech, using oil on canvas. Oil paint has a slow drying time, which allows for blending and reworking of the image - and indeed, we can see a lot of painterly activity in the image, areas where Flint has gone over the surface repeatedly. The material qualities of oil paint are evident throughout. Notice how Flint uses the viscosity of the paint to create textures, from the smooth finish of the figure’s skin to the impasto of the amethyst crystals. These crystals are strategically placed, obscuring the figure’s face and torso, while the use of a plastic bag as a covering alludes to contemporary concerns around consumption and waste. The artist's technique is quite traditional. Yet, by layering the familiar, and incorporating unexpected and surreal elements, Flint transforms a traditional medium into a conduit for contemporary social commentary. Paying attention to these techniques, and their conceptual implications, expands our understanding and appreciation of the work beyond its immediate visual impact, inviting us to contemplate the relationship between materiality, method, and meaning in art.