Savage 

Troy Brooks’ painting, Savage, presents a striking, albeit unsettling, image of femininity through an exploration of societal expectations and psychological tension. The subject, rendered in a palette of soft pinks, is reminiscent of a classic Hollywood starlet, yet her exaggerated features and haunted expression disrupt any sense of glamour. Brooks, a contemporary Canadian artist, uses visual codes drawn from film noir and the gothic tradition to explore themes of isolation, anxiety, and the pressures placed on women to conform to certain ideals of beauty. The flies buzzing around her head and the ominous door create an unsettling claustrophobia. Is she trapped or about to escape? By looking into Brooks' other works and reading critical analyses of his style, we can see that the artist uses imagery to challenge the idealized and often unrealistic portrayals of women in popular culture. His work prompts us to consider the cultural forces that shape our perceptions of beauty and the psychological toll they can take.