The Distant Other Painting

Daniel Freaker lives and works in Portsmouth, U.K. While studying at University he explored the painterly qualities of print, video, film and photography. He now concentrates on painting, where it is possible to see the influences of previous interests on the paintings in terms of cinematic composition and subjects. With the work often reminiscent of film scenes and fragments of a broader narrative, which the viewer can interpret. His work is informed by contemporaries such as Doig, Tuymans and Armitage, sitting between the abstract and figurative spaces where the way paint media is applied is equally as important as the image itself. The subjects are mostly individuals, couples or groups of people in order to provoke thoughts of relationships or isolation. The scenes reminds the audience of something they can empathise with and the techniques and colour palette bring feelings of sentiment and longing with a contemporary twist of warmth and radiance. While many elements are true to reality and show traditional processes, some distortions, exaggerate the emotional significance of the moment: connection, loss, vulnerability, or loneliness… This juxtaposition between vibrance and darkness is what makes it memorable. The work combines elements of abstract and expressive mark making with figurative details. Some details are defined and clear where others are more suggestive and evocative. The techniques emphasise the qualities of contemporary media, acrylic and ink through washes, drips, drops, gestural and expressive mark making. These provide a rich tapestry of interwoven processes and a richness to the work. There are also more unusual processes such as lifting and removal of paint that expose sensual textures, and generate a sense of nostalgia about moments that are both beautiful and painful.