deep looking
David Micheaud

David Micheaud’s practice is concerned with the act of looking. Seemingly mundane objects and landscapes are carefully observed over time. Overlooked details become central in paintings that capture the atmospheric tones of light and delicate shifts in color of the environments that frame them. They appear to be born of a resistance to the typical pace of looking; a desire to slow down and delve deeper. Clean lines, dream-like moods and minimal compositions present the familiar in partial abstraction.

At DKUK, clients observe art for a longer duration than we typically expect and experience. The duration of a haircut allows for an extended time of deep looking and a chance to form an unexpected connection. In this context, the deep looking that is integral to the artists practice can be reflected and repeated by the viewer. This fragment of time, of sitting still, allows one to linger in other-time.

With the endlessly scrolling nature of today’s Instagram culture and attention economy, such an experience is a rare thing. A situation enhanced by the current Covid-19 crisis, artworks are often encountered through a screen, further removing the viewer from an immediate and prolonged engagement. As we scroll through our phones and our lives, we overlook more subtle visual information and make fast paced judgements. Selfies and ‘arties’ (selfies in front of artworks, apparently) obstruct a more intimate layer of engagement with the world. Micheaud rejects this relentless pace that has engulfed every corner of our lives, offering up a slow moment to reflect upon the physicality and imagination of everyday spaces. His 2D surfaces – perhaps an antidote to mindlessness and distraction – present a chance to catch our breath and look deeply at what is in front of us.