Joshua Kennington

The Uncouth Dream

An abstract representation of movement and energy, composed with oil paint on a stretched, and grounded canvas. Using a wide format, my work recalls the cinematic elements of imagery, but denies the viewer any definitive representation.

“The Uncouth Dream is an exploration of movement, and how change shifts not only our perspective on life, but our outlook and perception of it. Initially imagined as a rendering of fog in my neighbourhood, which inspired the original composition, this work shifted to discuss how despite there may be so many factors that change in our lives at such a fast pace, there is always time to reflect, and ground ourselves in the present. In that way, this composition presents itself as a snapshot in time. A moment influenced by the storm of change, which only really begins to make sense once one is out of the storm. I relay this idea through my neighbourhood, which is one of the fast-growing parts of the city. In painting with broad, fleeting strokes, I reflect on the fast pace of change that occurs both physically and over time for every citizen in a city like Toronto.”