and makes the painting that much more powerful.
ject. In Girl with Apple Tree, a
young woman with her hair tied
back closes her eyes while the
sun hits her face. Green fabric
drapes across her knee, drawing
attention to the flesh underneath.
In this instance, Acris used light
to show off the woman's muscle
tone. It is a very careful and
tender depiction. One senses
that what they are watching is
not so much a young woman as
someone's fantasy of a young
woman. She almost appears to
be performing for the viewer.
ing sexuality, the way one does in a fantasy. She is confident, brazen
drawn in is more subdued. It is almost as if one part of her is trying
to encourage the other, trying to enliven it. Such is a struggle one
comes across in youth.
painting, one's intentions should always gravitate towards a genu-
inely fresh plastic vocabulary, since originality is the starting point
of everything worthwhile." He is successful in this aim, which is why
it is difficult to compare him to any other artist. While many have
addressed the same issues as he, Acris ascribes to his work with a
totally unique style.
Montreal, Canada shortly after the fall of communism. Acris took up
painting two years later. In 1997, his family moved again to North
Carolina, where the artist still lives and paints. Perhaps it is through
his many travels that Acris has settled on such universal themes to
cover in his work. -Daisy Carrington