Untitled 2018

Vincent Xeus created this untitled painting using oils on canvas. The artist has employed traditional painting materials – oil paints – but pushed the boundaries of their use. The canvas is not just a passive support; you can see the grain of the fabric coming through the layers of paint. This gives the surface a tactile quality, emphasizing the physicality of the artwork. The portrait of John F. Kennedy is somewhat dissolved by horizontal brushstrokes, creating a blurred, almost ghostly effect, while the bright blue strokes are thickly applied, obscuring portions of the original portrait. It's as if Xeus is not just representing Kennedy but processing him, layering on gestures that both conceal and reveal. This kind of expressive approach elevates the simple materials to convey complex ideas, challenging our notions of portraiture, the figure, and the nature of art.