Dante’s Inferno is a really big piece of art. At nearly seven feet wide it’s a real attention grabber. Often, with large slabs of colour, big paintings can get lost in themselves without enough going on the hold the interest of the viewer. I can think of several pieces by very well known artists from earlier in the century who’s work leaves me cold and uninspired thanks to their realization that large blocks of single colours have any kind of depth to them. Well, for me, they don’t.
It is for this reason that Dante’s Inferno was born. I wanted to replicate the principles of these superstar artists from the 40’s and 50’s but add something into the piece that offered something tangible to look at and connect with.
This painting relies on a very simple colour scheme but uses it in a very clever way. What I have done is break the canvas down into small parts which helps your brain process the overall image a lot better. This is the reason why some art you look at leaves you confused and unwelcomed. Even the most abstract of pieces should obey some kind of rules – even if they are vague. Our minds need careful attention.
I suppose you can be forgiven into thinking it looks like a giant version of Super Mario!
This piece was painted onto a flat sheet of Italian tight weave canvas, primed three times before painting. It was framed using 2 inch square section seasoned timber and handmade for the canvas. I used enamel and acrylic paints. I used rollers, brushes, scrapers and paper to create the effects you see.
Dante measures 207cm x 140cm (6ft 8 by 4 ft 6).