Critical Analysis of Art Work #2

Dirty Kitchen (2013)

By Jonas De Ro

(Muti-Media art)

Description

This image, painted by film concept artist Jonas de Ro portrays the realistic scene of a messy average-looking kitchen bathed in light. The use of bright contrasting colours and the strong golden light, reflecting everywhere in the interior suggest that the piece is set at a hot mid-day, while the landscape and vegetation peering through the open door say that the scene might be taking place somewhere warm and dry - perhaps around the Mexican border or Spain.

The various notes and children’s drawing on the door of the fridge say that there is probably a family living in the house. Although the various objects laid out all over the crammed kitchen suggest some sort of use and liveliness, there is stillness to the image. The kitchen is not being used by anyone at that particular moment -  nothing is steaming on the hob - the only thing that hints to activity is the open cupboards and garbage bags that could mean the kitchen is in process of tidying up. Perhaps the door is left open for fresh air to come in while cleaning, or to cool the room from the hot day.

Analysis

The image is horizontally set on a widescreen HD digital canvas that helps for a cinematic lifelike feel.  The camera point of view makes the observer feel like they have just entered the kitchen from inside the house, ready to judge it for their own.

Technically the painting is beautifully executed. The use of perspective is immaculate, as well as the sense of depth and the accuracy in lighting. This high level of detail, always present in Jonas de Ro’s work, is often achieved with the use of photographic textures and custom-made Photoshop brushes. This inclusion of textures is due to the fact that he is one of the administrators on the acclaimed website - CG textures.  The effect is evident almost all over the piece, mostly on the exterior view and on the terracotta tiling in the kitchenette. The overlaying of texture and noise on top of the whole image really supports the sense of light and even makes it feel slightly like a Polaroid photo – somehow familiar. Perhaps this way the painting can be viewed as a memory. The artwork is so detailed that the viewer’s eyes can wander all across the canvas and discovers more and more about the scene.

There seem to be 2 focal points on the opposing horizontal sides of the artwork, which strangely balance each other. Firstly the illuminated oven and fridge on the right is noticed and then the scenery outside through the open door. The composition itself is not necessarily symmetrical or ordered, but it feels real and that is what it is meant to do – convey a reality. But the point of view, though which the ‘shot’ was taken fills the canvas equally with detail. The A-symmetrical arrangement is rather achieved with the multiple lighthouses on the wall and ceiling and their reflections. The composition feels unified - there is not a thing that feels like it does not belong in the scene.

Interpretation

The painting does not really try to communicate a specific emotion, but rather just present a scene to be explored and investigated by viewers.  The colour palette is all about the golds that complement the light, which creates the feeling of heat. Despite the awe felt by Jonas de Ro’s level of skill, perhaps there is slight confusion as to why this care for detail was not put to something more imaginative than a simple scene from reality. Since generally his art, although realistic-looking, is almost always clearly based in a science fiction or fantasy scenario. It is pitiful that this level of creativity does not come through in this case.

The artist did not specify what this artwork is for on his website. It is fully possible that it is development art for one of the films he is working on, but it is doubtful since he mostly works on fantasy and fictional titles. Then perhaps since he has a clear preference to environment art, this could be a life painting of a scene he noticed and used it simply as exercise and challenge to his skill. He often does paintings like this although normally they are more impressionistic in the use of brush strokes and the detailing is not so immaculate. If this is the case, then the image does not have a particular meaning; it just admires and appreciates scenery that could otherwise go unnoticed in everyday life.

Judgment

The use of photographic texturing combined with the level of detail visible all across the piece represents a reality quite well. But that very same thing can make this painting a bit more difficult to be appreciated. It is so realistic that one could be forgiven for thinking that it is a photograph. Perhaps if a more painterly technique was used in places out of focus, would allow for the skill of the artist to be communicated more clearly.