Michael Manning

The dual and ambivalent nature of human beings has long been a dominant theme in Michael Manning’s work. His paintings often situate human and animal figures in otherwise abstract environments. Although recognizable forms are asserted with dynamic lines and bold silhouettes, overlapping transparencies can lend them a subtle, shadowy presence. Manning’s process is typically revealed in visible layers of drawing and painting that introduce, deconstruct, and nearly wash away his protagonists. This layering functions as a record of creative time and change, but can also insinuate multiple sides of a person or situation. While Manning’s work is process oriented and driven visually by formalist decisions, the motivation for the subject matter often uses larger, universal moral messages found in mythology and religion as thematic inspiration.