Greensboro artist Juie Rattley III’s use of paint is an emotional minefield, and his self-portraits and street scenes audaciously employ bright color and frenetic brushwork. Images are obliterated with bold strokes of paint; the edge of a face or a figure evaporates into a field of activated brushstrokes and pulsating color. The push and pull between foreground and background implies a heightened sense of distress, and the piercing gaze of his portraits suggest a call to action. The subject matter is blunt and evocative. By eradicating key elements of an image, e.g., Crime Scene (pictured), the cause and effect are all the more disturbing. On display until Oct. 30 at Flood Gallery in the Phil Mechanic Building, 109 Roberts St. floodgallery.org
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