Rook’s defiled West

These highly crafted paintings by Greg Rook appropriate the faded colours of old photographs and films. Although they look like amused, painterly explorations of the retrospective styles of lens-based media - and the sickly, puce colours of film degeneration - their real interest seems more in death, alienation and horror. Rook depicts an American West somewhat lacking the usual ideas of pioneer heroism, peopled as it is by meat-hacking male survivalists, standing amongst (if you look closely) the evidence of unspeakable deeds. In this way, Rook presents the beautiful 'unspoiled wilderness' of the West, and its associated imagery, as thoroughly spoiled by various kinds of corruption.

Neal Brown