Cheesegrater Couple – Original Painting

Cheesegrater Couple – Original Painting

About the Image:

The Cheesgrater couple walk along, hand in hand exploring the landmarks of London. What’s their story? Is this a first date of one of too many to count? Are they local or enjoying a holiday together? What do you think?

The moment you start looking at the page, the yellow grabs your attention. Confined to the bottom left and left hand side, it adds to the bright red and blue switch which seem to fade away into the rest of the painting. Blues, dark indigo and marine, dominate the rest of the painting. There’s a geometric feel as the buildings tower over the people below. Impossible darks obscure the lines within the Lloyds building. It’s there but vanishes as you look into the dark recesses .
The Cheesegrater covers nearly half space. It has an unfinished feel, you’re waiting for the builders to add final pieces and yet surely they would have done so by now?

Maybe you’ll notice the couple in foreground first? Holding hands,  the colours mingling yellows as the golden hue of his trousers flows upwards into her tanned arm. There are more people on the pavement across the road. Moving stick figures in the background wander around, while the couple holding hands are oblivious. Where are they going? Are they out for a day about town? Or maybe they’re on their way home?

Half the fun is in speculation. Notice also the paint textures, the blown ink lines and blooms on the dark windows. Then back to the perspective, I’ve deliberately left in the looming effect caused by photography. I want you to look up and see how the buildings converge in the sky. How they seem to be coming in towards you, ready to topple.