Newton Street Series

Lovers and Demons

(2004-2008) 

Artist Statement

The Newton street series aka “13 paintings”, exhibited in 2007 in a show curated by artist Kristen Mills, explores the raw complexities of human interaction, focusing on the awkwardness of new relationships and the social anxiety that often accompanies them. Through an abstract figurative lens, I delved into the emotional landscapes of love, dating, breakup and marriage, framing them against the ever-present backdrop of the hero archetype. The central figures in these works are thrust into various social scenarios, their exaggerated, stylized forms evoking a sense of vulnerability and unease.

Drawing inspiration from a carved wooden head sculpture in my family’s home, I shaped these block forms in a manner reminiscent of Art Brut, channeling a sense of naivety and primal energy. The totem’s influence manifests in the distorted, almost otherworldly wooden figures that populate these scenes—embodying both the comfort and disquiet of human connection. Executed in oil on reclaimed canvas found in the trash around Cambridge, MA, each piece focuses on the internal tension between the desire for connection and the fear of rejection, offering a visual representation of the complex emotions that shape our most intimate relationships.

—Macaulay Woods, December 2024