The Village 1985

Daryl Trivieri created "The Village" with some kind of drawing implement on paper. Look at the mark making - it's all about line, creating tone and volume. You can see the hand of the artist in the way the lines accumulate to create the forms. The hatching creates a sense of depth, which is unexpected when you think about how drawings on paper are flat. Look at the way the lines follow the contours of the forms, creating a sense of volume and weight. The creatures teeter precariously, so this anchoring is important. Notice the little floating teardrop shapes hovering around the dog-like figure; it feels playful, but also a bit unsettling, like a dream you can't quite grasp. Trivieri reminds me a bit of Guston, who also worked with surreal forms and a distinctive mark-making style. But where Guston's work is often heavy with existential angst, Trivieri's has a lightness and humor to it. Ultimately, "The Village" invites us to embrace ambiguity and find our own meaning within its strange and wonderful world.