Robert Lange Studios | 9/2-9/30 | Charleston, SC

Whimsy and Tradition

Join Robert Lange Studios in celebrating a new, whimsical series by Nathan Durfee.

Nathan Durfee explores uncharted territory in a new series of work, Dancing on the Shoulders of Giants, to be displayed at Robert Lange Studios for nearly the entire month of September. Collectors will still see Durfee’s unique styling, but for this recent collection, he takes Old Master works and maps in his own whimsical perspective. The artist’s past pieces have been creations from his imagination, depicting narratives within characters of a geometric, pixelated style, but Durfee has now taken a step further into a world of experimentation and celebration.Vermeer’s Pearl, oil on panel, 18 x 14"

“I was curious what would happen if I added onto iconic paintings—revaluating my own style and see if I could learn from doing this,” he explains. “Collaboration with other artists has been the central vein of a lot of my work. What I enjoyed was the blending of the styles and it inspired me to look to paintings of the past. It’s not exactly a collaboration, but rather mentally creating a painting method that blends two disparate styles together. The title shows the depth of [this point]. I’m having fun with this; dancing, celebrating. It’s part learning experience and part celebration of artists of the past.”

Durfee’s exploration of these themes is illustrated in pieces like Vermeer’s Pearl, featuring a playful take on the iconic Dutch painter’s Girl with a Pearl Earring. “This piece in particular had me asking myself, ‘how would I have done it?” says Durfee. “There is a sense of humility, but then the ego says, ‘I wouldn’t have [painted] it quite the same way. There are compositional and posturing decisions that were made in Vermeer’s painting, and that’s not necessarily reflective of how I address my work.”Swirly Swan, oil on panel, 18 x 18"

Besides adding in his teddy bear button eyes and distorted features to the figure, Durfee adjusted the posture and fills more negative space than in the Vermeer painting. “I’m not trying to compare myself to these masters,” he interjects. “I’m standing (or dancing) on these giants and don’t want people to be under the impression that I have the capability of doing it better. It’s more like when musicians do covers of Beatles songs—it’s just a different rendition.”

Durfee changes it up, yet again, in the piece Compliments to the Creator, his own take on Self Portrait by the French master Jacques-Louis David. “I decided to add some elements into the narrative by having his painting come to life,” Durfee says. “The cardinal (bird) grows off the canvas I’ve added into the scene, and it serves as a thank you to the artist for painting this. The dialogue was me adding more scenarios but embellishing a bit more, rather than mapping my style.”Da Vinci with Kitty, oil on panel, 18 x 14"

Another significant yet humorous piece in the show is Durfee’s take on Da Vinci’s Lady with an Ermine. “I’m known for painting these plush, teddy bear-type cats, and it was a great moment to inject more of my characters,” he says. The ermine is a somewhat menacing creature, so Durfee’s placement of the cat creates a comedic, laughable moment—something his work is also known for.

Durfee continues, “I did this [Da Vinci] painting at the same time as the Vermeer piece, and one thing that’s been a lot of fun is learning from the color palette these artists had. My work is very color forward with bright, contrasting colors and a lot of nuance, but these artists used a lot of muted tones and dark shadows. This is also about having my little squares of color pop while honoring their palette.”Compliments to the Creator, oil on panel, 18 x 14"Beginning with an opening reception on September 2, from 5 to 8 p.m., the show of approximately 20 paintings invites you into fantastical, nostalgic moments that contain remnants of the past, while also offering a cheerful look to the future. —