The composition of Doig’s works is another critical element in his ever growing collection of paintings. Large formats are preferred by Doig, almost as if he wants the audience to feel as lost in the painting as many of his figures look. In Doigs dense atmospheric paintings there tends to be remote horizons, reflecting water or surfaces, miniscule figures , which give the landscape a very large feel, all giving the illusion of a film still (deutsche-bank-kunst.com).
In one of Doigs more recent works The Pelican (stag) he uses all of the elements he is known for. There is a single figure situated just to the right of the center of the canvas. Although he is painted in such a gesture, in mid stride, leaning forward (contro-posto), arms in a relaxed swaying position, to suggest he is drifting towards the center. The first thing you focus on is the drifting man. The man looks as though he is looking for something or staring at something interesting. With only a white cloth wrapped around him you think more of a drifter who has lost his way in the jungle. The attention paid to the shadowing of the figure, showing the ribcage and concaved stomach, makes the figure appears to be thinning and deprived of food.
The movement of the painting is immaculate. The figures diagonal line draws the eye from him to the multitude of colours above that resemble palm leaves. There is also a pale blue vertical line in the center of the canvas, which resembles a waterfall, this also draws the eyes attention. No matter where you look in the painting your eye will always fall back to the drifting man.
The colours used in this painting are a mixture of acidic looking colours with dark and pale natural colours. The thick pale blue vertical line brings life to the figure. This is the only light part of the painting with the exception of a few highlights. However the figure is moving towards or into the lively colour gives the audience a feeling of excitement or suspense. The main background colour is a dark navy blue with highlights of a almost royal blue. This is why the figure pops out on the pale blue background. There is a dark brown shape at the bottom right of the canvas. This can be seen as a shoreline against the water. Also just above the brown is a mixture if a bright pink and green colours that look like flowers of vegetation on the waters surface. At the top of the painging there are shapes resembling palm leaves. These consist of light and dark green, white, a burnt yellow, and dark blue. The colours are very well blended together.
The techniques applied to this painting are where Doig stands out. He uses oil paints like water colours. For example in the Pelican (Stag) he thins down the oil paint in order for it to be applied like water colour. The vertical pale blue line looks as though Doig just poured thinned paint down the canvas and let it drip all the way. I say this because at the bottom of the line there are lines and lines of drip marks running right off the canvas. However this also makes the water appear a little bit more realistic. Another point in the painting where he used this method would be the top area that resembles palm leaves. The paint was thinned to the colours would bleed into eachother like water colours would. This is giving the painting a very dream like appearance. One can picture a reality yet walk in to a dream world at the same time. The background also has the water colour bleeding effect applied to it. Doig painted the figure as a solid figure. There is no bleeding or blending. The figure stands out in the painting, on purpose. It dominated the painting. This mixed media approach to the Pelican (Stag) helps the audience drift into the painting even more, knowing what is right in front of out, the figure, but wanting to find out more about the background and atmosphere.
The mood of the Pelican (Stag) is very mysterious. The Background is understandable and recognizable however there is still a lot of interpretation of what one would and can see. My interpretations may be completely different from what another can visualize in the painting. Also the expression of thought and wonder on the figures face and his gesture are other factors to this mysterious feel. They raise the questions; who is he? What does he see? And what is he thinking?
For me this painting tells a story of a man who is lost in his own world. Wandering aimlessly until he finds himself. His world will not completely turn into reality until he truly knows who he is. It’s a painting about the journey to find ones self. While looking at the painting that’s exactly what I had started to think about. As before what others see is completely up to their view and or perspective on art and life.
The Pelican is a very interesting painting that not matter how many times you look at it is just the same as the first. The mystery that it holds will slowly unravel as the mystery about ones self becomes clearer. The Pelican (Stag) relates to the audience because it expresses the same thoughts and emotions that we feel on a daily basis. Doig is an extremely talented artist and understand or at least expresses very well the troubles everyday people go through in their daily lives.
Works Cited
1. Hasting, Shasha. “Different Doig.” NOW Magazine. April 1998.
- About his move to England and a collection of sketching from Canadian landscapes.
Johnson, Ken. “Peter Doig”. New York Times. New York: New York Press.
October 2004.
- General article about doing and his paintings.
2. Mcallister, Lesley. “Doig Does It.” NOW Magazine. March 3, 2003.
- Doig Gets a show at Toronto’s Power Plant Gallery. Writer is ecstatic about Doig’s appearance
Renzetti, Elizabeth. “Saatchi’s Alleged Triumph of Painting is in for Long Fight.”
Globe and Mail. February 1, 2005.
- Controversy over several artists’ paintings on gallery.
Roberts, Alison. “Memory Man”. The Observer. London, April 2003.
- Talks about how Doig uses his pictures, film, and other paraphernalia as inspirations for his paintings.
Scott, Kitty. “Wild Spaces.” Walrus Magazine. Ottowa: Walrus Press; March 5, 2004.
- Writer’s feelings about Doigs’ landscapes. Very negative.
Unknown. “Saatchiworld.” Art Now. June 2003; No. 267, pp 18-19.
- Publicity for Saatchi Gallery viewing of several Artist’s works including Doigs’.
Wei, Lilly. “Peter Doig at Michael Warner”. Art in America. September 2003.
- Review of Doig’s art collection being viewed at Michael Warner Gallery. The review was a positive one.
http://. March, 2005. Viewed March 5, 2005.
- Tons of articles on Doig. Bio’s, Review’s, photos.
. Offer & Waterman Co.;
Gallery. September 16, 2000. Viewed March 5 2005.
- Bio and short description of his work
. DB Art Magazine.
August 23, 2004. Viewed March 5, 2005.
- Reviews and break down of Doigs’ works as well as an interview with Doig.
