Dana DeKalb: No Lifeguard on Duty

Set within a long tradition of narrative art, my figure paintings are riddles, which balance the familiar and nostalgic with the surreal, bringing a psychological charge to seemingly ordinary moments. The enigmatic subjects are situated in improbable dioramas, which glow with the colors of a tinted photograph. With an inner emotion, and a dash of humor, they take on curious tasks and unforeseen events, and are often caught in a moment of decision. At first, they appear engaged in everyday actions; yet on closer inspection, unexpected details reveal that something strange is unfolding. Each scene captures a narrative pause, inviting viewers to unravel the plot and insert their own interpretation to complete the story. No Lifeguard on Duty specifically focuses on the ocean, an iconic environment by turns wildly beautiful, serenely nurturing and dangerously volatile. It's tidal rhythm of ebb and flow is a symbol of transition and adaptation, serving as an apt metaphor for the fluctuations of life. The figures in the paintings wobble in undersized lifeboats, stilt walk determinedly through high tide, or balance in a human tower on a diving platform. They build sandcastles, play with inflatable toys, and collect specimens from the sea and sky. Like the marooned seafarer Robinson Crusoe, they are portrayed navigating their way through an unpredictable world. In addition to figure paintings, the show will feature a wall of miniature, detailed panels of undersea zoophytes -- an archaic term meaning, literally, "animal-plants" -- which transition from lush color to cool monochrome. Mysterious and evocative, they bring to mind alien flora and fauna, while alluding to the bleaching of coral in warming ocean waters.