Elaborate Still Lifes Erupt with Vivid Color in Eric Wert’s OilPaintings

Contributing to the long history of still life in European art history, Wert’s compositions take a contemporary view of the tradition whileretaining the elements that characterize the genre: composition and precision. “My oil paintings are intended to be both seductive and destructive—a highly controlled meditation on the impossibility of control,” he says. Abundant flowers spill from displays and cross sections offruit reveal sensual textures. The backdrops also complement the central subject, often depicting ornamental textiles or wallpaper patterns.