Tony Havrilla
Presidential Suite with Tomatoes, 2024
Oil on board
24" x 18"

Artist Statement

In modern society, where a new voyeurism exists online via social media, my work seeks an understanding of how our human desire to connect with others harms our psyche, stokes jealousy, and calms us. My paintings use a Fauvist approach, utilizing vibrant colors and gestural brush strokes, to paint figures in natural environments. Figures and environments painted are often sourced from social medias such as Instagram, X, or Facebook and then combined on my easel to create images that exist in a universe unto themselves. The importance of sourcing images from social media lends itself to the common desire to be seen, not only on social media, but in our lives. By gathering images in this way, I am exploring what we share and how it is shared to try and understand why we share. The resulting paintings evoke an exploration of an 'Eden' or the idea of a utopia devoid of problems (which social media platforms and influencers often portray their lives as). Through paint I am attempting to reconcile the dichotomy of this unreality online with the mundane human experience. My work contains basic human moments of whimsy, desire, objectification, and ultimately struggle as it copes with bridging these realities.

www.tonyhavrilla.com