DEFACED / BMOCA, Colorado / October 2014 - January, 2015 [Teodora Axente, Marius Bercea, Răzvan Boar, Zsolt Bodoni, Dumitru Gorzo, Șerban Savu, Mircea Suciu, Dan Voinea] "Dan Voinea paints sinister worlds that oscillate between abstraction and representation. His images are taken from vintage photographs sourced on the Internet or found in markets. The photographs tell unknown stories and depict anonymous people whose lack of identity is a critical component for the artist. The inconspicuousness of common gestures and the vague interactions of his characters with their grim environments allude to social statements and symbols of current conditions in Romania and the uncertainty of the individual in modern society. Areas of rushed brushstrokes and densely packed surfaces characterize Voinea's canvases. He embraces chiaroscuro, a technique utilized by painters for centuries, which relies on deep variations of contrasting lights and darks to bring dimension to a painted surface. The dark and theatrical renderings of people blurred by the effects of light and shadow embellish a sense of isolation while glorifying seemingly ordinary and unimportant moments. In Prospector (2014), the dark background nearly swallows the depiction of a woman shown with her back to us, her face entirely engulfed. In Smooth (2014), light emanates from two men in what can be perceived as a harmless act, yet also appears violent. The painting, washed in sepia-tonality, is both foreboding and alluring. One man looks down at the other man dressed in a suit with closed eyes. The head of the man in the suit is covered and situated between the standing man's arm and body. The situation is vague, yet remotely familiar. The standing man is wearing a jacket resembling what could be a barber's jacket, a medical coat, or a uniform. It is unclear whether the man is resting his head or being restrained. Unsure of the circumstances of the situation, we are unable to draw definitive conclusions."