Art Analysis: Trench by Shayne Murphy

“Trench” by Shayne Murphy is a 48”x “48 painting of seemingly simple artwork of random items, yet aesthetically pleasing to look at. But with a closer look, there is more than meets the eye. “Trench” is an art piece that tells of a dark alternative reality.

The focal point of this artwork is a piece of land that floats in the middle of a white background. At first glance, the point of view is at a slightly elevated angle looking downward. Using a combination of oil and graphite on wood, Shayne brings forth an interesting mix of colors. What immediately draws the eyes first is the bubblegum pink that adds a pop of color against the shades of gray. Although its color doesn’t contain any value or details, its shape helps to outline the side of the land. It stands in front of a minimal, white background. The edges of the painting seem to fade into a slightly darker shade of gray which gives the illusion that the background is much wider than it is, resembling a void.

Straight lines used on the surface transition to more organic lines at the bottom, showing the ground from a side view. To add dimension, there is a shadow underneath the surface level. It helps to add some details such as the distinct outlines of vines hanging on the bottom. On top of the land, there is a lighter shade of gray, giving the impression of light hitting the surface. However, the light that hits the surface doesn’t reach the trench below it.

The trench cuts across the surface of the floating piece of land, splitting it apart. It’s dark, gloomy, and almost eerie. Hazy, straight lines combined with curvy lines are used to add value, creating tons of shadows that highlight a rocky surface. With its dark, gloomy, and very realistic details it stands out from the stylized realism of the simple color blocks outside of it. It’s proportionate and stable, yet the mood makes it seem erratic and unstable next to its simple counterparts. It almost resembles another world, or maybe, an alternative reality. Where one reality exists on top of the land, another completely different one exists inside the trench. The crack in the surface breaks away into the trench, which is symbolic of the idea of an alternate reality that is connected to the reality that already exists. The trench also floats in midair in front of a wide background which resembles a void where these two worlds exist.

On the surface level, there are a few rods that stick up from the ground. They’re brightly colored and add a slight pop of color, similar to the pink mentioned before. The rods are striped with a pattern that alternates the colors of the rainbow. They’re straight, skinny, and seem to be haphazardly placed in random spots. There’s no pattern to them, while most are standing up or slightly slanted, there are others that lie on the ground and there’s even one in the ditch. The stripe patterns almost resemble traffic cones, and since they’re placed next to a trench they could be a warning sign for those who wander near it.

The colors of the rods could also signify the existence of other alternative realities. In the trench, we see one kind of reality, a gloomy and eerie place where only the dominant color is black. On the surface, we see an alternate reality to the trench where the dominant color is light gray. Its seemingly bland color contrasts with the dark mood of the trench. Gray is a color that exists between white and black, so this type of reality could be a sort of neutral ground between all of the realities since it’s also positioned between a white void and a black trench. On the side, the pink color invokes a brighter feeling. The pink color on the side of the trench could indicate a pathway to another reality, one in which pink would be the dominant color. The reason why these colors are so important is that the only other place where other colors can be found is in the rainbow rods, which display all the other existing realities. Since each reality has a dominant color, this means that the colors help identify them. From the bubbly pink reality to the neutral gray reality, and the sinister black reality their dominant colors help the viewer gain a sense of the differing worlds. Other realities are hidden from the viewers' eyes and can only be identified on the rainbow rods.

Compared to the brightly colored rainbow rods, the trench’s unstable and messy depiction brings tension and gloom that sets it apart from its neighboring realities. In a world in which alternative realities exist, the “Trench” paints the picture of a darker, more sinister place compared to the world's outside of it.