World Reveiled

Since photography was first developed in the mid-nineteenth century, artists have been incorporating it in their work. Randy Hayes follows in that tradition, combining the stop-action immediacy of photos with the timeless commentary of painting to produce provocative, many-layered images. His unique method of "veiling" photographs with semitranslucent washes of paint puns the themes he illustrates. During the first fifteen years of his career, Hayes focused on individuals whose identity is defined by how they present their bodies - such people as transvestites, transsexuals, prostitutes, strippers, and boxers. For the last decade, he has shifted his interest to figures - usually women - who are veiled, turned away, or partially hidden by what they wear. In a sort of redefined cubism, the artist uses a series of snapshots to present a scene from all sides and perspectives. Multiple views and moments invite the viewer to participate in the drama of the painting. The viewer's examination of the painting's physical layers echoes the exploration of its layers of meaning.
Randy Hayes: The World Reveiled features seventy-six full-color images that illustrate Hayes's exploration of the world unseen.

ARTPHO