Game Changer 

Vincent Xeus’s ‘Game Changer’ is an oil on canvas painting, dominated by swathes of black and yellow. The artist coaxes the oil paint across the canvas to achieve the image of the cowgirl. Notice how the figure has a certain translucence, achieved by wiping away areas of paint to reveal what lies beneath. This wiping process gives the figure a ghostly, ethereal presence. Oil paint, known for its blendability, here becomes a medium for both addition and subtraction. The controlled removal of paint gives the image its graphic punch. Xeus shows us the work involved. It reflects a contemporary interest in process over product. By letting us glimpse the means of production, Xeus invites us to reconsider our understanding of painting, craft and the labor that goes into each.