Deca Beza
Artist
Robert Gniewek
(American, born 1951)
Date1995
MediumOil on linen
Dimensions28 × 44 in. (71.1 × 111.8 cm)
ClassificationsPainting
Credit LineGift of Compuware Corporation, 2015
Object numberUAC6304
DescriptionFollowing in the tradition of photorealist painters before him - such as Richard Estes, John Salt, and Ron Kleemann - Robert Gniewek seeks to paint the nostalgic American landscape in all its vivid, neon glory. A native Detroiter, Gniewek often paints the bright, dry, and deserted streets of downtown Detroit in a way that portrays the beauty of the city with the wistful longing of its former glory, as in his pieces Woodward Ave. and Ghost Train, Bagley Ave., Detroit.The scene in Deca Beza takes place outside a small Mexican restaurant promising itself to be one of the leaders in fine taco establishments. The setting is typical of Gniewek - a night scene brightly lit by neon signs, street lights, and reflections off shiny cars. The people outside the building passively look towards the viewer, as if the viewer just happened to be driving by in their own vehicle.
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