Thomas Dane Gallery, London Private Collection, Asia Acquired from the above by the present owner
Catalogue Essay
Quick, almost haphazard brushstrokes convey a sense of urgency, as if to capture the image before it fades away. Hurvin Anderson’s Naila (Movement) at first glance feels incomplete - the artist’s deliberate lack of detail forms a visual obstacle to understanding the subject. As the title suggests, the figure’s underlying silhouette creates a back and forth motion, animating the still image into one on constant playback. The flatness of the background renders the space unrecognisable, the subject is neither here nor there, almost as if she was from a distant memory.
The 2017 Turner prize nominee’s use of juxtaposition between figuration and abstraction has continued to be present in this work. The figure is spotlighted through the wash of yellow in the background, its flatness further accentuating the rich dark tones of her skin peeking through her translucent fabric. Her intimate attire conveys a sense of familiarity and comfort, yet the viewer cannot help but be distanced by the flood of light between them. A British painter of Jamaican descent, Anderson’s characteristic style effectively visualises this sense of ambiguity towards his cultural heritage. A nod to Malian photographer Seydou Keita’s portraits and his use of local textiles as a physical representation of his sitters’ identities, Anderson also attempts to capture the intimacy of his female subject through her movement and attire. Bright jewel tones of the fabric immediately draw attention to his Jamaican roots, but the subject faces away, regarding the viewer as an outsider. Having only had second-hand experience with the tropical landscapes of Jamaica and Trinidad (the latter where he did an artist’s residency), Anderson’s portrait of the female figure suddenly comes across as a superficial, idealised perception of his cultural background. The multiple push-pull elements in the work conveys the artist’s ongoing exploration of his personal identity, a sense of yearning to understand his cultural heritage, and the uncertainties that come with.