02 july 2023, Yves Joris
Zachary Armstrong's roosters at GNYP Gallery
With its colourful plumage, imposing crest and loud crow, the rooster is an intriguing creature that has captured our imagination for centuries. From Cantecleer in the epic poem ‘Van den Vos Reynaerde’ to the proud symbol on the Walloon flag, this animal has defied art and political history. The rooster is also a source of inspiration for American artist Zachary Armstrong, who is currently exhibiting his work at GNYP Gallery.
Portraits, GNYP Gallery
For art, the space in which the work is exhibited is often extremely important. American artist Zachary Armstrong can consider himself lucky to be able to show his work in the unique location of GNYP Gallery. The walls of this stately mansion on Antwerp’s Jan Van Rijswijcklaan almost transform his rooster works into stately portraits that make you want to bow your head in humility. Yet, it is not merely the space that is awe-inspiring, but also the way in which the animals are depicted. They hang just above eye level, forcing you to look up at the animal, an awkward position that also draws attention to their piercing gaze.
Throughout history, the rooster has acquired a solid reputation as a symbol of a nation, a sign of the Chinese zodiac and Peter’s denial. There could not be a greater contrast to the rural life of the American Midwest where Armstrong grew up, where the rooster is 'merely' a farm animal that crows at the crack of dawn. “For years, I have collected images of roosters from books, magazines and pictures I have taken, Google searches, everywhere imaginable. (…) I have combined bits and pieces from different roosters into a whole. It was important to me that this was my 'image'," says the artist in an interview with art critic Dominic Eichler.
Zachary Armstrong, Rooster #13, 2022, GNYP Gallery
Drawn from private life
In 2019, Artnet wrote that Armstrong was sure to be one of the artists the art world would be hearing more from. But a year later, the doors of the world were locked due to the pandemic, but that did not stop the artist. His work travelled the world from Berlin to London and Beijing to Brooklyn and has now stopped in Antwerp. Armstrong is the perfect example of the American art scene not being limited to New York. From his hometown in Dayton, Ohio, he conquers the world with his work, which is inspired by his private life: childhood, family, American culture and the many natural history books he reads.
These influences result in works of art that are homogeneous in their uniqueness. His meticulous brushwork ensures that each animal has its own character. Those who take the time to reflect closely on the paintings will feel the urge to look for human characteristics in the stately comb, almost haughty gaze and plumage.
Portraits, GNYP Gallery
Old techniques
For his work, Armstrong uses the time-honoured technique of encaustic or wax painting in which pigment is mixed with beeswax. In the silence of his studio, he spends hours mixing the right colours for his subject, a monumental job that has resulted in about forty shades of red, each of which is incorporated into the proud comb. It was an insane experience through which he – in his own words – learned to understand Josef Albers better. “The real beauty of what those colours do, the change, occurs during the painting process, not when the work is hanging on the wall.”
Rooster on a pedestal
Portraits shows an artist who has succeeding in transforming an everyday subject into art. With this thought in mind, it is tempting to conclude that his work leans towards pop art. Others might argue that the manner of depiction is very similar to the state portraits of the Renaissance and Baroque. The encaustic technique in turn takes us back to the time of the Greeks and Romans. Zachary Armstrong presents the visitor with unique stories that have the rooster as a common thread. Artnet was right in 2019 when they wrote that we would be hearing more from this young artist.
