Struggling To Remember Who's Really In Charge Here
Struggling To Remember Who's Really In Charge Here
By Michael Dowling
Struggling To Remember Who's Really In Charge Here is a commanding 38 x 39 inch oil painting on panel by Denver-based artist Michael Dowling. This large-scale work presents a powerful, near-monochromatic depiction of an elk, rendered with a raw intensity that challenges the viewer's perspective on nature and authority.
Dowling utilizes a dramatic chiaroscuro effect, with the stark, skeletal white of the elk emerging from a dense, textured black void. The artist’s energetic line work gives the creature a ghost-like, almost prehistoric quality, while the crowning set of antlers reaches toward the top of the frame, emphasizing its grand stature. A single, frantic scribble of pale yellow and white paint hovers above the elk's head, serving as a chaotic "halo" or a visual representation of the internal struggle suggested by the title. It is a haunting and philosophical piece that blends classical draftsmanship with contemporary psychological depth.
Specifications
- Dimensions: 38 x 39 inches
- Medium: Oil on panel
- Artist: Michael Dowling (Denver-based)
- Framing: Housed in a minimalist natural wood floater frame.
- Style: Contemporary Figurative / Neo-Classical Expressionism