Alexis Rockman

Figure 1.

Alexis Rockman Cascade (2015)

Figure 2.

Close up of Cascade

Rockman paints large scale, detailed paintings both beautiful and grotesque in their outcome. Rockman looks at the present and the current ecological issues faced today, while also presenting a form of post-apocalyptic world that feels fictional but is scarily accurately based around our current world. Although didactic and dramatic, all Rockman's series are heavily researched in to and closely linked to environmental science, making the themes exaggerated and emotive but thoughtful and factual which is something I are factors I think are important about art that links with activism.

The works are all immense scales full of curious details and strong compositions that create interesting narratives. I find the composition really appealing and combined with the size of these works, must be overwhelming to view in person which would only aid the importance of the themes presented in the works.

Alongside these tactics, realism and the use of tone are important visual aspects in his paintings that I feel create really powerful results and push me to strive to develop my skills, as tone is very important in my working method when working and experimenting with painting.