Dauntless in a Trashed World
Chloe Wise, 2024, Oil on canvas, 72" x 24"
The oeuvre from which this piece comes is concerned with what happens in the moment when surrounding chaos is held at bay, outside the frame. Dauntless in a Trashed World captures this theme well, as we see in the subject a wild abandon that emerges not from uncomplicated joy or repose but a wild determination to laugh amid folly. The narrowness of the canvas invites the viewer to wonder briefly about what exits beyond this snapshot; and yet, we are not called to dwell on what this “trashed world” is; rather, we rest with the airiness of the subject’s shirt, the pinkness of her flesh, and the complete committal of her smile.