The puzzle. Acrylic pop art painting
A man is intensely focused on a puzzle of geometric-shaped pieces, or he might just be working on something less innocent. One piece is held in his hand while others seem to float or fall, or perhaps move through the magic of magnetism.
A moment of frustration
Their form is intriguing, existing only in two dimensions. It could simply be a moment of frustration, having disturbed and scattered the pieces of the puzzle’s construction, rather than some dark invention or the construction of an infernal machine.
Behind him, an elegantly dressed woman stands poised, ready to go out. Whether she tolerates his obsession or questions its purpose is left open. It might be the product of his labour that interests her, should it prove to be more than just a puzzle after all.
*Artist Doug Kemp with The Puzzle Painting
A circular composition
A seemingly everyday domestic scene, with the contrast between her composure and his absorption, merges home life with undertones of film noir and science-fiction mystery.
The circular composition, with a black surround, heightens the sense of voyeurism, as though the spectator is looking through a peephole at a private scene.
Doug appears to turn the act of puzzling into a metaphor for the human compulsion to fit fragments of life together, even when the picture refuses to make sense.
