Stock Pile
Artist
Daniel Douke
(American)
Date1989
MediumOil and acrylic on bondo, mounted on wood
Dimensions49 × 60 1/2 in. (124.5 × 153.7 cm)
ClassificationsPainting
Object numberUAC2703
DescriptionStock Pile is a slightly askew rectangle of neutral grays and browns. Each panel seemingly welded to the others. Created during Douke’s optical illusion phase, this painting on wood with glue expertly mimics the look of welded metal pieces. Even the angle of the sections is meant to give the viewer pause as they puzzle out what they are really looking at. This interest in taking paint and turning it into other material visually was characteristic of the work of artists in the modern period. Even as art moved away from content that was focused on representing objects in the world, as can be seen here by the lack of any identifiable object other than the apparent metal of the image, the techniques became the main focus. In Stock Pile, Douke’s technical skill as a painter is on full display.
Daniel Douke was born in Los Angeles in 1943 and studied at UCLA. where he went on to teach there. His style leans towards direct realism, photorealism, and even optical illusion as he makes art that explores topics of the benign and everyday existence. Most notably, he exhibited at MoMA in 1976, in their exhibition showcasing new artists and promoting their work.
Written by Alex Heath
