Jeana 1983

Patrick Nagel’s ‘Jeana’ is pure 80’s LA vibes, all done with flat planes of colour on what looks like paper. You get the sense that Nagel probably started by blocking out areas of colour, almost like a printmaker, deciding which parts would be skin, hair, jewellery. The overall effect is super stylish and clean but there's something kind of distant and cool about her. She seems remote, you know? I imagine Nagel, working away in his studio, listening to synth-pop, trying to nail that perfect balance between glamour and alienation. In a way, this work reminds me of Alex Katz's portraits, where the figure is simplified and iconic. Both artists capture a certain mood and attitude of their time. But with Nagel, the shapes are more about the cut and thrust of design, the kind of thing you’d see in a fashion magazine. Artists are always talking to each other through their work, across time and space. It’s a never-ending conversation, a constant exchange of ideas. And it's this conversation that keeps art alive and evolving.