Acrylic and Collage on Archival Paper
30 x 22 in
76 x 56 cm
US $ 4,200
The painting, Spring Break Sunday #2, offers a rich, layered composition filled with bright, swirling elements that evoke the chaos and exuberance of a crowded beach scene. The abundant use of yellow circles—representing floatation devices—mixed with pinks, greens, and blues gives the sense of an animated, sunlit sea teeming with life and color. The painting juxtaposes lively colors against a blue backdrop that suggests the sea, conveying both a sense of playfulness and an underlying tension. The arrangement of the shapes creates a sense of organized chaos, emblematic of a bustling day at the beach.
...more
The painting, Spring Break Sunday #2, offers a rich, layered composition filled with bright, swirling elements that evoke the chaos and exuberance of a crowded beach scene. The abundant use of yellow circles—representing floatation devices—mixed with pinks, greens, and blues gives the sense of an animated, sunlit sea teeming with life and color. The painting juxtaposes lively colors against a blue backdrop that suggests the sea, conveying both a sense of playfulness and an underlying tension. The arrangement of the shapes creates a sense of organized chaos, emblematic of a bustling day at the beach.
Deceus’s work stands apart by combining a graphic, almost cartoon-like quality with deeper symbolic undertones. His portrayal of floating objects and submerged figures invites parallels with artists like Henry Taylor, who addresses social and cultural experiences through his work. The crowding of forms in Spring Break Sunday #2 could be compared to the compositions of Jacob Lawrence, yet Deceus's style is more abstract and textured, combining collage and painting techniques in a way that creates visual rhythm. The use of recurring shapes and patterns reflects a sense of repetition that mirrors cultural themes in the artist’s life and background.
Drawing inspiration from his Haitian heritage and American experiences, Deceus brings a nuanced view of leisure, displacement, and the American Dream. The title Spring Break and the chaotic depiction can be linked to the artist's own reflections on entering American life during his formative years, evoking the mix of excitement and alienation he experienced while trying to participate in mainstream culture. The work's sense of joyous chaos also nods to Ishmael Reed’s Mumbo Jumbo, which similarly blends cultural history with a vivid, chaotic narrative, making the painting an intersection of personal memory and broader cultural commentary.