Project Statement
The Cabin Saga investigates the representation of the body, aging, and identity in art through the study of historical and contemporary figural painting, emphasizing its relevance in exploring themes such as self-perception and the passage of time. By looking to examples from various artistic traditions and periods, I work to demonstrate that figural painting continues to be a powerful medium for questioning notions of self and temporality.
Based on the idea that our identities don't change overtime in a strictly linear, instead our memories are fuzzy our recollections are part construction, part memory, part self-told narrative. At times we feel younger than we are, or older than our years. Our sense of self is always in flux and is always fluid as a result. The shifts in self are not unlike a shift in physical perspectives, similar but different.
The Saga further explores the importance of self-perception as an expression of physical space, analyzing how shifts in architectural perspective and compositional undulation can demonstrate changes in psychological perspective. By positioning this analysis within the broader discourse surrounding figural art's role, I aim to showcase the lasting potential of figural painting as a tool for examining and expressing the complexities of human experience, identity, and our evolving understanding of ourselves in relation to the world.
Artist Statement
This triptych, set in the background of a summer camp cabin, explores how we view ourselves at different phases of our lives. What our expectations of ourselves as children versus as an adult. How do we understand the scope of our choices and the paths we take as they relate to our perspectives.
About Tristan Perrotti
As a Portland-based artist, I create expressionist portraiture and figures that blend surreal and abstract forms to examine classical themes and drama in relationships. My work explores identity nuances through depictions of self and others, using bold colors and expressions reflecting my experiences and emotions.
In line with notions of fluid temporality, memory, and self-perception, my artistic process evolves by reacting to the paint's behavior and my emotions. Diverse influences, including Christian Hook, Salvador Dali, French Impressionism, Lucian Freud, and architectural forms, shape my work, connecting to the broader discourse of figural art's role in exploring identity.
Success in my art is marked by aesthetic boldness, visual and emotional immediacy, and elements provoking emotion and curiosity. My vibrant, dynamic, and ever-changing inner world invites viewers on an emotional journey, emphasizing the significance of figural painting in expressing human experience and the evolving understanding of ourselves.
MFA in Visual Studies
