Death of the Cook 2017

William Balthazar Rose made "Death of the Cook" with what looks like oil paint pushed around on canvas. You can see the marks of the brush in the green background, almost like the painting has a life of its own. The cook's uniform is such a blocky shape with very visible brushstrokes, I love that it's not trying to hide that it's made of paint! The painting feels so tactile, like you could reach out and touch the surface, feel the ridges and valleys of the paint. Look at the way Rose uses such limited colours and the figures are almost like silhouettes; the red hats and robes of the figures to the left really stand out. There's something reminiscent of early Paula Rego here. Both embrace a kind of awkward figuration and create these unsettling scenes. Art is all about these echoes and conversations across time, isn't it? It's about seeing the world in new ways, even if those ways are a little strange or uncomfortable.