Narrative Paintings
Robert Waldeck’s Incognito deals with transformation- not of an object or person but rather a transformation of perception or understanding. Using masks as his primary metaphor, Incognito combines elements of surrealist portraiture, fantasy and imagined scenarios and situations. Drawing on sources as diverse as Francis Bacon, Star Wars movies, poetry and fashion advertisements, Incognito provokes the viewer into liberating themselves from the traditional realms of reason and narrative, and instead, allow the unconscious to lead the way.
The constructed space paintings depict scenarios which could only happen in the realm of imagination or psychosis… these paintings are subversively dark and edgy. They seem to reflect dark, psychological desires- ones that perhaps we are not comfortable in admitting to ourselves and which we (un)consciously edit out- essentially masking over what we truly want. There is something undeniably powerful about these works partly due to the artist’s considerable technical skill- these are masterfully painted canvases- but also because the artist is cheeky enough to include some sly asides which relieve them from being overly didactic or heavy-handed.
-Virginia Eichhorn
The Lakehurst Tournament- 1937, Oil on Canvas, 48”x60”, 2006
Animal Magnetism, Oil on Canvas, 36”x48”, 2001
Over the Garden Wall, Oil on Canvas, 36”x48”, 2001
Mobsternauts- Red Planet Expedition, Oil on Canvas, 36”x48”, 2005
Man-O-War, Oil on Canvas, 48”x60”, 2006
Final Frontier, Oil on Canvas, 36”x48”, 2003
Happy Trails, Oil on Canvas, 48”x70”, 2003
Barrage Balloon Game, Oil on Canvas, 18"x20", 2008
Aerial Bomber & Cage View, Oil on Canvas, 18”x22”, 2008
Seagull Storm, Oil on Canvas, 22”x18”, 2008
Spun, Oil on Canvas, 24”x26”, 2008
Albino Hummingbirds, Oil on Canvas, 18"x20", 2008
Destroyer, God of Thunder- 1976, Oil on Canvas, 72”x48”, 2008
Fidelio, Oil on Canvas, 156”x96”, 2002
After the Flood, Oil on Canvas, 48”x72”, 2010
Saraband, Oil on Canvas, 156”x96”, 2003-04