Shane Wolf is a direct heir of the momentous turning point in Art that was the Italian Renaissance: the representation of the human body in all its realism and glory. Through him, we can clearly grasp the might of several centuries of pictural heritage. The painter’s style is inspired by academic classicism that venerates both beauty and poise. However, he also draws his inspiration from a very contemporary posture that conveys a ferocious twist to contorted flesh.
Movement contributes equally to his realism, and imbues his painted bodies with life. And each of the paintings links with the others to form a dynamic whole. With no other painter does the word “danse” so spontaneously spring to mind. A rhythm emerges, commanding the body to step back before returning in a powerful surge to the edge of the stage that is before our eyes.
There is something magical, not to say mystical, that gives life and such striking resemblance to Shane's works of art. His paintings no longer appear to be just a simple representation, but part of a unique reality placed within our grasp. This realism is epitomized by the fact that Shane only paints from live models – an academic tradition that has become very rare amongst contemporary artists.
* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 16th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.
