Richard Fett

B.F.A. Corcoran School of Art, Washington, D.C.

M.F.A. Florida State University

Richard Fett’s paintings relay contemporary dramas focusing on the social, sexual and psychological aspects of human relationships. The viewer is invited to construct the visual narrative from introduction to denouement.

The subject matter emphasizes female and male interaction. Created in a style that may be called figurative naturalism, albeit slightly skewed, at times the figures in the foreground are out of focus or out of proportion, while the background ironically comes alive in hyper-detail.

Theatrical performance, movies, fashion, popular culture and art historical precedent all inform Fett’s paintings.

Layers of glazes are built to develop a smooth, lustrous and high-gloss surface. The surfaces themselves are like a mirror, the viewer can see themselves in the paintings. The glossy surface is further indexical of a movie, or silver screen, high definition television or a photograph—the ‘filters’ of our modern society.

Fett’s works demonstrate a balance of technical skill and psychological intensity. The paintings are not personal records. Rather, they analyze and manipulate sexual mores and social codes for new examinations of intimate interaction. As co-author of the narrative, the viewer is invited to add another dimension to the drama. The meaning of the paintings is therefore not fixed, but is constantly changing with each visual dialogue.