Sinful Davey 1969

Robert McGinnis painted this promotional poster for the film Sinful Davey with gouache, a medium I love for its matte finish and how the colors sit right on the surface. This work is a playful reminder that art is never just about what you see; it's about how you see it. The composition is wild: a group of women clustered around a central male figure like supplicants around some strange idol. Check out the woman to the left with her open mouthed expression. She’s painted with soft, blended brushstrokes in contrast to the sharp precision of the woman on the cross at the top who, with her knowing sideways glance, seems to hold all the cards. McGinnis isn't afraid to mix styles and moods. Like much of the work of Alex Katz, McGinnis here offers a hyper-stylized take on reality, a world filtered through the lens of commercial imagery yet imbued with a distinctive artistic vision. Both artists remind us that perception is always constructed.