Taste Sweet Revenge

Price
$15,000
48" x 48" Oil On Board
A delightfully nuanced work, Taste Sweet Revenge has its obvious visual parallels to some paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat, particularly in the case of circled text and and the scribbly handling of writing out ‘REVENGE.’ However, Ryan operates in a different mode and has his own unique take on how to engage with text in a painting. In many ways this image deals with notions of framing, for Ryan actually puts a black border along the edge, containing the work. By circling the phrases ‘TASTE’ and ‘SWEET’ he highlights their presence. While giving each word its own individual identity through bordering techniques he also allows them to be read in conjunction with the other phrases. There is even black put behind the words ‘CHEWING GUM’ to offer a contrasted tonal shift. The cheeky title, and almost childish treatment of the bubble gum sets a sweet scene that has a foundation of subtle wit.

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