Keegan Wenkman is a Madison artist who prefers to remain a mystery.
He told me, Emilie, that he likes his art to speak for itself. Wenkman wants the any onlooker of his pieces to develop their own interpretation of what they mean.
And so this last installment of our “Figure” exhibition artist spotlight series will take on a slightly different tone than blog posts past. I will guide you, dear reader, on a visual tour of some of Wenkman’s figurative works and describe how each painting or group of paintings speaks to me.
You might see something different. But that’s the beauty of art.
I’ll start with Wenkman’s series of paintings titled “Arrow. (#1-9).” Refer to the photo at the top of this post.
These pieces, as you can see, take up nine small canvases grouped together. Wenkman used vibrant oil paints to create various feminine representations, all of which appear to have been shot by an arrow. The figures are posed in different ways. Some are bleeding and some seem unbothered. A common theme I sense is one of romanticism, especially given Wenkman’s usage of brilliant reds and yellows.
It’s as if each figure has fallen in love, having been cursed by Cupid’s Bow. The location of the arrow has significance as well. Some of the figures appear to have been shot in the chest, while others in the head and upper thighs. This might represent how the figure feels connected to their mysterious lover. Is the connection mental? Physical? Emotional? All three? Only the artist knows.
The photo above is of Wenkman’s “Twins” series. Again, each figure is feminine. The first thought that comes to my mind regarding these artworks is of the Gemini sign of the zodiac representing the twins Castor and Pollux in Greek mythology. The twins were both immortal gods and mortal men who helped the ancient Greeks understand the duality of nature.
The middle painting is particularly powerful to me in the sense that the twins are holding hands and floating. It’s as if Wenkman is saying we can only embrace our true power as humans if we accept both the dark and light inside of us.
Wenkman again used oil paints for this series.
“Wishbone #1” and “Wishbone #2,” to me, are lovers searching for one another, hands down. Wenkman, once again, created the figures with oil paints.
The representation of a man in a presumably leather jacket in the first painting appears to be looking for someone, or lost. The depiction of a woman in a dress in the second piece could be lost, too. Or, the man could be watching the woman dance. The woman seems to be spinning around in a whimsical, yet aloof manner.
Maybe she’s unaware she’s being admired. Or maybe she knows entirely what’s going on and wants to impress her observer.
What’s your interpretation? Comment below, or send me an email at eheidemanncag@gmail.com. I’d love to hear your thoughts!