Randy Hayes: The World Reveiled - Tapa dura

Since photography was first developed in the mid-19th century, artists have been incorporating it in their work. Randy Hayes follows in that tradition, combining the stop-action immediacy of photos with the timeless commentary of painting to produce provocative, many-layered images. His unique method of "veiling" photographs with semi-translucent washes of paint puns the themes he illustrates. During the first 15 years of his career, Hayes focused on individuals whose identity is defined by how they present their bodies - transvestites, transsexuals, prostitutes, strippers, and boxers. For the last decade, he has shifted his interest to figures - usually women - who are veiled, turned away, or partially hidden by what they wear. In a sort of redefined cubism, the artist uses a series of snapshots to present a scene from all sides and perspectives. Multiple images and moments invite the viewer to participate in the drama of the painting. The viewer's examination of the painting's physical layers echoes the exploration of its layers of meaning. John Yau lives in Manhattan and teaches at the Maryland Institute, College of Art. His most recent books include "My Symptoms", "The United States of Jasper Johns", and "Fetish."