Age of Covid 

Alex Gross’s ‘Age of Covid’ presents a colourful tableau of familiar superhero figures, painted with meticulous detail. The tight composition crowds the frame, with each character close to the picture plane. The arrangement and expressions of each figure create an engaging surface pattern. Masks, in various styles and colours, both unify and individualize the characters. The bright palette and pop-culture imagery belie the somber reality referenced in the title. Gross uses the visual language of superhero comics to explore contemporary anxieties. The characters, usually symbols of invincibility, are rendered vulnerable. This challenges the viewer's expectations. Masks are now an indispensable element of everyday life. The painting blurs the boundary between fiction and reality. Gross’s work invites reflection on how established visual codes are reconfigured. What are the new meanings we create in response to global events?