Coat

De La Cruz’s painting Coat (1997) belongs to a series called Everyday Paintings [1995 – 1999] and shows a technique she has developed since her days as a student at the Slade, and continues to experiment with today. She begins with a glossy monochrome layer of paint, either acrylic or oil, which is made up of large horizontal brush strokes. The canvas is then subjected to manipulative and destructive techniques that render the traditional form of the painting unrecognisable. Her approach to painting spills over into sculpture and De La Cruz often incorporates found objects and furniture into her work. She said “One day, I took the crossbar out and the painting bent. From that moment on, I looked at the painting as an object.”