Mind's Eye Critique

Plattypus
Minds Eye Critique
Picture A ( Mr. Kefor's Painting)

A dark, dismal, lonely room is apparent in this untitled painting by Todd Kefor. A near grayscale painting is quite artistic and beautiful in it's own unique way. The odd assortment of items in a tight pile are placed in front of two separate boards, one black, one red. The dismal room engulfs this pile of forgotten belongings, dust gathers on top of the concrete block, stuffed primate, locked box, and two skulls. The petals of a small assortment of flowers bring the only life to the room. The vase is unseen, but it behind all of the belongings, sandwiched between the two boards. The light, presumably placed slightly in front and to the left of the belongings casts an eerie shadow over the objects. A slight reflection bounces from the crimson flowers, casting a very slight red haze among the objects.
(Break)
The detailed oil painting appears depressing, dark, and even disturbing in the beginning, but over time it comforts the eye. The simplicity of the painting even enhances the mood. All of the colors are absent from the piece until one examines the painting carefully. Red starts to stand out among the newer items. Other than the flowers and the red board, everything is covered in dust. A few words to describe the scene are weathered, abandoned, and decaying. The flowers bring life and energy to the piece. The juxtaposition, or placement, of the items adds to the void-like image. If the objects were not conformed to such a small area, the vacant room would not be visible. The empty, dark room may engulf the room, but the flowers seem to rebel.
One possible interpretation of this painting is that beauty can be found anywhere. Another possible interpretation is rebellion. Red can be seen as love, hate, or just simply life. The flowers could just be rebelling against the conformity of the other objects, or they could just be compared to the other objects in accordance to their beauty. Many other interpretations could be taken from this image of course, but those two emphasize the harmony of the ancient objects.