I have been thinking about hegemonic power structures and the current redefining of the American political landscape. Frequently, people in power attempt to subdue those they feel most threatened by. My current paintings are influenced by political attempts at group erasure and suppression. Empathic feelings of helplessness in the face of powerful institutional manipulations inform the work, as well as a furious rage against injustice.
    The paintings start as multiple layers of splotches and shapes, marks burying marks. Eventually, the paintings become records of meditations on the medium’s inability to effect change. Repeated scraping, sanding, and paint layering become the visual language of frustration, while recognizable objects sometimes appear and become part of the dialogue. Many times figures are used to help convey specific ideas or feelings. I’m interested in physical structures that seem stable at first glance and next become more obvious architectural failures. These structures have begun appearing in the paintings. They act as symbols for social constructs, as metaphors for our belief in security, or perhaps the ego. The paintings become a way to work through frustrations and point a finger at power structures that are doing unprecedented damage throughout their death throes.

Adam Cochran
2019