Tiger vs Bear
Tiger Tiger
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 122 x 152 cm (48" x 60”)
Animals have populated my work for over 30 years. Perhaps it was the synthesis of Saturday morning cartoons and my experience growing up in the Canadian North that influenced my perceptions. I prefer animals to humans; they have more integrity. They allow me to address relationships in a subverted manner, forcing the viewer to dig deeper if they desire more meaning.
The landscape has always been a staged environment in my work. A setting for characters to act out a narrative. My works are more akin to a still life than landscape paintings. Landscapes provide a setting that is about memory, but not nostalgia. They incorporate historical symbolism and a literal expression of what’s out my back door.
ABOUT JEFF NACHTIGALL
Nachtigall’s work examines popular culture narratives that permeate the contemporary zeitgeist. Play is a cornerstone of his practice and often masks a subversive message that both mirrors and critiques the politics of our time.
His unapologetic approach is both sardonic and philosophical, firing a warning shot over the bow of ideological fixations. An acquired brain injury in his early teens altered his brain, resulting in a disinhibition that has seen his work both celebrated and censored.
Formalism collides with a punk rock sensibility. His pop culture mash-ups explore the liminal space between the natural and built environment. The animal kingdom acts as our proxy, as his paintings are noticeably devoid of the human figure, replaced by a colourful bestiary cavorting in fantastic landscapes that echo scenes from speculative fiction.
Pragmatism is key to his methodology as he employs an egalitarian approach to materials, subject matter, and mark making; disregarding and challenging traditional and historical art world hierarchies. These high and low art sensibilities converge resulting in nonlinear narratives that engage the viewer as an active participant, asking them to complete the conversation that the painting begins.
After The Flood
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 122 x 152 cm (48" x 60”) SOLD
Born To Love Volcanos
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 122 x 152 cm (48" x 60”)
Backwoods
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 122 x 152 cm (48" x 60”)
The Portal
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 91 x 122 cm (36" x 48”)
Probably Staged
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 91 x 122 cm (36" x 48”)
Death From Above
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 122 x 152 cm (48" x 60”)
Dog, Stone Dog
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 122 x 152 cm (48" x 60”)
Pyongyang Zoo
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 76 x 86 cm (30" x 34”)
Eastern Star
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 91 x 122 cm (36" x 48”)
The Nightingale, The Hound and The Hare
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 76 x 86 cm (30" x 34”)
Ursa Major
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 122 x 152 cm (48" x 60”)
9 Days, 9 Nights
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 122 x 152 cm (48" x 60”)
The Fate of Last Mountain House
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 91 x 122 cm (36" x 48”)
Edge of The Forest
Acrylic, spray paint on canvas, 2023, 91 x 122 cm (36" x 48”)
