Fast lane 

Nigel Van Wieck's painting presents a striking tableau of leisure and modernity. The sleek red sports car is the ultimate status symbol, while the figure lounging in repose carries the weight of ennui. Consider the motif of the resting dog in this composition. The dog is a symbol of loyalty, but here it is lounging, perhaps reflecting the idleness of modern life. Echoes of this motif reappear across centuries – think of the slumbering dogs at the feet of nobility in Renaissance portraits, symbols of faithfulness now rendered listless. Such a scene engages us on a subconscious level. It speaks to a longing for escape. The painting evokes a sense of anticipation, the car waiting for a journey that mirrors our own desires to transcend the mundane. The symbols of speed and relaxation intertwine, each enhancing the other to create an image that invites both envy and introspection. The symbol of rest is ever-changing, and like a snake devouring its own tail, it comes back around again and again to bite us in new forms.