DANIEL UNGER
ARTIST’S STATEMENT:
In this ongoing series of oil paintings, I explore themes of animals and landscape. I have an interest in observing and rendering details, while giving attention to the expressive qualities of the paint itself.
I often use the intimate scale of smaller panels with the intent of engaging the viewer, drawing them into the space. The animals serve as figures in the landscape, providing focus and forming a psychological connection with the viewer. The animal-landscape theme is for me a fitting vehicle for examining space, composition, placement, figure-ground relationships, effect of light, atmosphere and color. Occasionally the landscape dominates the painting space, while the figures merely punctuate it, adding focus and a sense of scale. Often works tend more toward portraiture with the surroundings increasingly subordinated. The horizon may be lowered or raised, or the background simplified with attention to how this affects the figure. This play of elements continues to intrigue me.
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