Mitchell Taylor Gillette (1957-)
Signed “GILLETTE” lower right edge,
oil on canvas 77 x 55 inches.
$8,500. USD
boyce@karlie.com
Biography:
Mitchell Taylor Gillette originally depicted fools and buffoons in a somewhat distorted style but as his exploration of human frailty continued, he began to create anatomical distortions to exhibit the imperfection of the human condition.
Many of his larger oils show a human society that is not only superficial but also bleak. With almost comic surrealism, Gillette presents his models with anatomically exaggerated muscles and somewhat prehensile feet but blurs the line between genders. He employs spatial techniques and mannerist distortions to introduce his beliefs, forcing the viewer to understand the folly of using antique notions of masculine and feminine to define self.
His paintings are very detailed oriented. The longer one views them, the more secrets are revealed. His settings are stage-like, replete with ordinary objects that are represented in dark or bizarre manners. Many of the accoutrements of modern society appear in his oils but they are invariably distorted, isolated, or obscured.
Gillette has shown at the Snyderman Gallery, the Nexus Foundation, and The Artfront incentive. He has also designed innovative and unusual costumes for various stage shows.