Wade Guyton: A Digital Revolution in Artistic Expression

John Kelsey, a noted art critic, provides an insightful commentary on Guyton’s latest work. In one of his new paintings, Guyton ingeniously transforms the digital interface of the New York Times into a tangible, ink-laden canvas, a medium many of today’s viewers may not have encountered. The artist’s work brings to life the digital news, complete with timestamps like ‘two minutes ago’, in a strikingly physical form.

Guyton’s paintings are a vibrant mix of hyper-saturated colors, enhanced in Photoshop, that make news about global leaders, weather, and data theft appear vividly real. His work challenges our perception of news, asking us to consider whether we can find beauty in it once again, even if we’ve stopped believing in its truth.

The colors in Guyton’s paintings are often the result of algorithmic and gestural interference, creating a blend of content and accident. As Guyton introduces noise into his images, he uncovers the unplanned, unthought, and unconsumed aspects of contemporary experience. Amid the digital chaos and the physical mess of running ink, Guyton’s work maintains a memory of modernist aesthetics, evident in his preference for regular, rectangular forms.

Guyton’s process is a continuous cycle of creation and recreation. Photos of his still-wet works are fed back into his process, re-emerging as new paintings. This process, which involves the artist and his team, is a testament to Guyton’s commitment to generating surprise and unplanned beauty. It’s a rigorous system that thrives on glitches and breakdowns, documenting itself until something new emerges.

In conclusion, Wade Guyton’s work is a vivid exploration of the intersection of art, technology, and modern experience. His paintings challenge our perception of the digital world, asking us to consider the beauty in the chaos and the unplanned.