Mary Ann Aitken
Untitled (Diptych)
Untitled (Diptych) by Mary Ann Aitken is a pair of paintings; one entirely abstract and the other a hybrid of representational and abstract elements. The left-side painting is a cacaphonous all over composition of brushstrokes layered in the artist’s signature primary colors. In the same color scheme, the right-side painting portrays a still life with an arrangement of flowers as its focal point, with marks and splatter spilling from the left-side composition into the right. The color palette unites the pair of works, placing them in conversation despite their stylistic opposition. As in most of her work, the paint is layered on thick in an impasto style. Because of the slow-drying nature of oil paint, Aitken would wait days at a time for a single layer to dry before working the next layer, demonstrating a degree of patience with the medium similar to that of old masters. Time and effort are evidenced in her strokes, the visible brushwork reminds the viewer of the labor of its construction, rather than presenting a seamless representation of its subject.