New Paintings by Denis Chiasson!

Even in the midst of activity—playing music, painting, reading, skating, Denis Chiasson’s subjects are in deep contemplation. In the world of increasingly hectic lives, Chiasson’s artwork contains within it an attempt to rest. His subjects juxtaposed against lively brushstrokes, reflect the viewers’ inner selves juxtaposed against the pressures of modern life.

But what is interesting and perhaps difficult about Chiasson’s work is the relationship between the viewer and subject. When one looks at a Chiasson, one looks into a private moment. We look but are not looked at. Viewers are voyeurs, their gazes active. Chiasson’s figures have a downward gaze and perpetually closed eyes. Perhaps the viewer is the intruder, comforter, or witness; perhaps the viewer is reflected back onto themselves, confronted with their own quietness.