Peter Fox

WHITE FLAG

2012
acrylic on canvas
small : 30 by 48 in.
large : 46 by 76 1/4 in.


"My work in the show began as an open meditation on Jasper Johns' 'White Flag', a loose re-understanding that appropriates
his basic formal elements - graphic flag theme, divided canvas and monochrome palette.
Johns' flag serves as a conceptual jumping-off point - a place to depart rather than arrive.
From there, mine takes a more reductive, minimal tack.  The division of the support is simplified as two equal panels
and gestural brushwork is translated to a uniform, repetitive drip motif, becoming an abstraction of Johns' already abstract flag.
The image of the flag is no longer foregrounded, but hovers near (or just below) the threshold of conscious perception.
Its flagness is mute, sensed instead of seen   -  an un-flag.
While working on it, I was cognizant of white flags as surrender signals.
Perhaps that's how this work operates - as a release - a letting go - of
identity, control, expectation.  An opening up.  A freedom?"



Interestingly, both flags "reveal" the existance of the American flag
within the paintings when certain translucent elements
of the painting process are exposed to natural light form a certain angle.
Very hard to see with the eye, it appears when photographed.

Full Circle (Moving Target) 2009 acrylic on canvas 60 in. diameter						Big Self Portrait 2009 acrylic on canvas 73 by 73 in. SOLD

—Dylan Peet for wagmag.org : the Williamsburg and Greenpoint Monthly Art Guide     2009-02-01

Peter Fox has earned a reputation as a painter of abstract paintings that perfectly and intelligently
occupy a position between conceptualism, minimalism, and action painting. Now, for his current
show “Moving Target,” Fox has all but abandoned abstraction and made five representational paintings
(and one Jasper Johns target as pointillist spin painting) using his signature dripping dollop technique.
I was wary until I saw them, but not only are they badass in their own right, they also illuminate the
abstract works retroactively. Each Crest Aquafresh glob is a product of chance and gravity, but is so
controlled that each extruded drip could almost be pre-fabricated. The new works bring humanity to
the cooled chaos.
In Sid (In Ecstasy) the drippy paint switches off from Jackson Pollock bravura
to punk rock entropy. It makes for a gorgeous painting and a conceptually
spot on portrait.


Oddly complimentary is a reinvention of Chuck Close’s Big Self Portrait
that uses the photorealistic original as a die for a Play-Doh Fun Factory
and changes the original’s stoneriffic stare to an intimidating one.

Each of the these works deserve more space than I have here, luckily
The Hogar Collection is providing it until March 1st.

View of Delft (after Vermeer) 2009 acrylic on canvas 7 feet by 14 feet

View of Delft (after Vermeer) (detail)

Open Source 2009 acrylic on mountaineering tent 96 by 168 by 41 in.

								3 U's 2009 acrylic on canvas 42 by 30 in.	Diver (after Richter) 2009 acrylic on canvas 44 by 44 in.

			The Break (after Richter) 2009 acrylic on canvas 60 by 120 in. (dyptich)