Kevin McCants

Artist Statement

Johannes Vermeer, Alan Beeton, Mann Ray, Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, Paul Cezanne and Thomas Gainsborough are a few historic artists who have used mannequins to express their artistry and creative view of their world. Expressions that tell a story, capture a mood or simply sell an idea. I use mannequins to represent the faceless appearance of human desire, need, and social disconnect without the baggage of specific human personality.

This is the basis and partial story behind my paintings. The aforementioned artists in particular contribute prominently to my practice, while others such as Rembrandt and John Singer Sargent, with their stunning ability to capture texture, the delicate nature of a lace collar, or even the sheen of a fine piece of cloth, have influenced other aspects of my work.

At the most rudimentary level, I paint the images I find in commercial windows, from New York to Los Angeles, from Bergdorf's to Beverly Hills, reflecting fashion trends and styles, from the past, present and into the future featuring imitation human beings integrated with the real world outside.

Using panels and canvas, working with glazing, washes and other techniques, all while focusing on capturing light, reflections and the essence of style and fashion, I create images that encapsulate an aspect of urban consumerism with lay figures that are stand-ins for more complicated lifestyle aspiration.

kevinmccantspaintings.com