With equal parts of himself a painter and an explorer, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Nigel Cox has an appreciation for all things visually appealing. But one glance at his latest work will testify not only to this fact, but to Cox’s mastery of conveying such in his work. Though the paintings are very simple, showing a solitary figure in a wide open space, they are incredibly lifelike. Cox attributes this characteristic of his work to his painting style, what he likes to call Photorealistic Minimalism. The figures walking along seem so real you think you may have seem them on your commute to work this morning. “My paintings provide the viewer with a glimpse beyond the clutter of everyday life, conjuring up notions of escape and peace,” said Cox of the offering sanctuary from the frenetic world outside.” With undertones of commentary to modern life and human nature’s tendency to escape into their own world of “oblivion,” Cox captures these precious moments with just the use of oil paints and linen canvases. As a figure is in complete solitude with themselves, despite their surroundings, the grey mist that surrounds them offer an interesting perspective of what it means to be consumed within ourselves and our lives in contemporary culture. As the viewer, Cox invites you into a moment of time of these person’s lives and give the “story” context at your will.
