In two monumental paintings, an undulating pattern of black and white figures surges against the surface of the canvases within densely-packed landscapes imbued with a visceral, almost overwhelming intensity. Beyond...
In two monumental paintings, an undulating pattern of black and white figures surges against the surface of the canvases within densely-packed landscapes imbued with a visceral, almost overwhelming intensity. Beyond the bodies of these creatures known as Bringbacks, a rich wash of red, and shifting, oceanic tonalities of orange and yellow allude to a depth that invites the viewer into the painting. These works are heavily layered in Hancock’s signature style, incorporating drawing, collaged paper, bottle caps, fur, and paint. Upon closer examination, the paintings' sculptural elements and daubs of heavy impasto emerge from the landscape to reveal a sea of watchful, bloodshot eyeballs that confronts the viewer, piercing the boundary between two and three dimensions.
Bringbacks are mouthless, fur-striped humanoids that serve as minions for a Mound named Junior. Their primary function is nostalgia: they "bring back" things from our youth in order to transform us. For Hancock, the Bringbacks allow him to revisit the toys that populated his childhood and parse their influence on his visual language and the physical construction of the Moundverse. They become a vehicle for reflecting on how our past adolescence—and our memories of that past adolescence—shapes our present.