Probing, 1985

David Humphrey  

This surreal artwork features a dynamic composition, dominated by two large, irregular stone-like forms, suspended atop a dark, angular platform. The stones are deeply textured, with earthy tones juxtaposed against the smooth background of swirling blue and ochre. Emerging from the stones are two tree branches, creating a stark contrast between organic and inorganic elements. Floating around the central forms are two disembodied human-like faces, painted with a haunting realism that draws the viewer's eye. These faces, with serene expressions, challenge perceptions of space and gravity. A single, barren tree stands to the left, its branches reaching towards the swirling sky. The painting's unique interplay of elements evokes a sense of dreamlike intrigue, inviting contemplation of the boundaries between reality and imagination.

The acclaimed David Humphrey (born 1955) has been exhibiting his work internationally since the 1980s when he first burst upon the New York art scene. His compositions often feature human figures, animals and objects interwoven into abstract passages to create complex narratives that reckon with the dynamics of human relationships, gender, the environment and race, all while resisting any one interpretation.

"David Humphrey is an American painter, art critic, and sculptor associated with the postmodern turn in painting that began in the late 1970s. He is best known for his playful, cartoonish, puzzling paintings, which blend figuration and abstraction and create "allegories" about the medium of painting itself."

Provenance Quintana gallery
Oil on Canvas
66 × 88 × 1/10 in
Framed 
Signed back and Front by the artist