Texture and Materiality: Art by Barry Scanlan
Barry Scanlan began painting prolifically in response to the stresses of working as a trauma response coordinator. Since then, the artist has been developing his practice using a variety of painted media to create loose, thick paintings with a heavy sense of texture and materiality.
I like the way Barry’s style seems to fluctuate, depending on the subject matter. In some cases, particularly human figures, objects and individuals are rendered in flat planes of color with heavy, black outlines. In other paintings, lose brushstrokes blend a variety of hues and tones to create dynamic landscapes or buildings.
The front page of Barry's website
Barry’s Existentia series is incredibly varied in subject matter and style. Whether the artist is painting a tongue-in-cheek self-portrait, an abstracted image of floral or plant forms, or playing with art historical references, the sense of exploration is clear in this gallery. The works in this gallery seem to represent a very personal side of Barry’s practice, showcasing raw experimentation with varied media.
