From 2016 through 2022, the lone suited man reigns supreme in the paintings of Scottish artist Iain Faulkner. The settings change—from urban to natural—but there are few other anomalies. Most often, the man is alone, his back turned squarely to the viewer, gazing out toward some unknown horizon, or just as inscrutably inward. We rarely see his face and the mood is resolutely enigmatic.
Pebble Beach, 2023, oil on canvas, 36 x 36"
Faulkner’s figure is a study in body language and nonverbal signaling. The pervasive suit—the ultimate symbol of masculine power—projects status, rationality, authority and respectability. The effect is amplified by the suspenders, which suggest he is a well-seasoned executive in the corporate world. The man’s hands are often in this pockets, a gesture that signals high confidence and ease.
Other recurring elements reinforce the stereotype—fancy cars, swanky environs, the tumbler of Scotch—but over time his high-rise cityscape views were edged out by natural surroundings—oceans, alpine lakes—and classic cars by glossy mahogany boats.
For this viewer, the suit activated complex reactions, both positive (remembering my dad going off to work in his prime); and negative, in its associations with hegemonic masculinity.
Small Wake, 2022, oil on canvas, 12 x 12"
But for Faulkner, his protagonist’s attire holds less symbolic bearing and serves another purpose. He says, “The choice of clothing comes and goes but, put simply, the wardrobe is always a timeless look that could suggest different eras, different worlds. But also there is a real graphic quality to the silhouette as is the case with the white shirt and braces.
“The solitary figure is both myself and the ‘every man’,” Faulkner continues. “I have my thoughts on potential subjects of contemplation, however I am far more concerned with creating an image that will encourage the viewer to play out their own scenarios…I see the figure as a foil for attaching meaning…as opposed to a representation of any anything that I may want to say. The works are very much image-based, open to the light…the meaning is derived from whatever the viewer sees and feels.”
Reunion, 2016, oil on canvas, 24 x 39"
Clearly Faulkner has succeeded in crafting a very compelling “foil for attaching meaning,” a figure upon whom viewers are encouraged to project their own narratives and associations.
When we decided to feature Faulkner to coincide with his February show at Friedrichs Pontone in New York City, it was with the understanding that his new work would likely not be completed before this issue went to press. Thankfully, Faulkner managed to finish a series of paintings just in time—had he not, this article would have been ill-formed.
Morning Glow, London, 2023, oil on canvas, 36 x 40"
Faulkner’s latest work marks something of a departure from—or broadening of—what came before. They transport us back to the city and, while the suited man does appear in some works, Scotch in hand, some feature a female. More figures are depicted in profile, and the ability to see more of their faces humanizes them to a greater degree. The main focus of these new pieces is light—the glow of a lantern, a bonfire or distant city lights—but the solitary, mysterious nature of the figures persists, as they stand on a pebbled shore gazing out at a twinkling Brooklyn Bridge or from a windowed penthouse at the London skyline. “My view changes from show to show from being contemplative to being disconnected,” says Faulkner about the mood his subjects evoke or the state of mind hey suggest. “But I definitely see them as confident, independent, self-aware and aware of their own surroundings and their place in the world," he continues. "These are things that we all reflect upon and the aim for me is to focus on that simple image…that simple ‘motif’ to represent this and allow true reflection.
A Moment Alone, 2017, oil on canvas, 30 x 30"
“I guess being an artist and spending the vast majority of my time working alone, the paintings are a reflection on loneliness but also the importance of time alone, and in my own case, being alone is more a means of understanding that quality time to reflect.”
Whereas Faulkner’s earlier work seems to explore compositional elements individually, Pebble Beach, featured on this month’s cover, synthesizes what he's been honing all along into one piece. We have the solitary man—sans suit, or perhaps it is just concealed. And, in addition to the rocks glass, he also holds a lantern.
Pink and Amber, 2022, oil on canvas, 20 x 20"
If there is a mood of disconnection in the piece, “the light is acting as a beacon towards the lives of others,” he says. “I am still maintaining the contemplative element which is a constant source of intrigue and inspiration.”
He has also combined a cityscape with aspects of the natural world, both prevalent but kept separate in previous series. The man is in profile and, in this case, Faulkner has given us a probable focus for his gaze in the gayly-lit merry-go-round under the bridge across the river.
Winter Dram, Jubilee Point, 2022, oil on canvas, 30 x 30"
Faulkner regularly switches between urban and natural environments, all of which have a personal significance to him, whether it's the beauty of the Scottish countryside or the lights of an international metropolis.
“They both offer different visual identities and their own painting challenges,” says Faulkner. “I have always used places I have lived in or traveled around as the source of my inspiration. What is perhaps important is that I am not trying to capture the landscape or indeed a moment in time. I am trying to construct an image much the same way a film director captures something that can suggest meaning. Yes, I am trying to create something that feels contemporary, but I think my affinity lies more with figurative work…The landscape, whether that be natural, cityscape or interior, is a stage to imbue a potential narrative for the protagonist.”
Brooklyn Boardwalk, 2023, oil on canvas, 12 x 12"
Faulkner is committed to finding new and interesting ways to represent what is now his trademark motif. He finds freshness in variations of place, quality of light, the time of day, the weather. When they all come together to create his desired image—already fixed in his mind—he returns to the location to sketch and shoot reference material. Then it’s back to the studio, alone, to start the work.
Barcelona Evening II, 2017, oil on canvas, 20 x 20"
“The enduring solitary figure has sustained throughout my career and I have not grown tired of this image,” Faulkner says in closing. “I am constantly presented with new ways of approaching it and bringing in new elements. I am always aiming to improve on the craft of painting, but that said, for me the painting is very much in service to the image—well crafted, straightforward and illustrative in manner.” —
Lighting the Way
February 2-March 9, 2024
Friedrichs Pontone
273 Church Street, New York, NY 10013
(347) 432-5215
www.www.friedrichspontone.com
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