The Story Behind the Work
Hypo 2 is the second in a series of paintings exploring hypomania, a symptom of Bipolar 2 disorder, and the hypersexuality that can accompany elevated mood states.
Where Hypo 1 was close and immediate, pressing the viewer into contact with the subject, Hypo 2 introduces space, and yet pulls back none of its rawness. The figure is pushed to the edge, the body fragmentary, while threads of saliva extend across the open lavender field: visceral, unguarded, unapologetic. It is an image of the body in a state of abandon, the physical self made undeniable.
The vast open background is not emptiness, it is atmosphere, the particular quality of air that surrounds a hypomanic state, charged and weightless at once.
How It Will Lift a Room
The generous expanse of cool lavender and blue gives this work a meditative, atmospheric quality that brings calm and depth to a space, while the vivid figure anchors it with energy and warmth. It is large in presence and feeling, and would work beautifully as a statement piece in a living room, bedroom, or hallway. The palette — blue, violet, magenta, and warm orange — is sophisticated and versatile.
Materials
Created with acrylic paint on wooden board. The rigid wooden surface lends itself to the bold, layered brushwork throughout, and gives the piece a solidity and archival quality. Wooden board is a traditional and durable support that will stand the test of time when properly cared for.