Poems are layered in paintings-obscured, written over, then painted again. Found objects are treated lovingly and elevated above their humble throw-away status. Sponges, rugs, wire, tape, nails adorn paintings of all sizes and shapes. Color and black and white photographs, taken deliberately or snapped on the run are juxtaposed with old, found images that may, in their turn, be altered, scratched and manipulated by the latest digital technology. Old and new rub against each other in textured works that suggest a fractured narrative composed of the artist's visual and emotional memories. Mortensen is perhaps best known for his outstanding performances in films such as A Perfect Murder, The Indian Runner, GI Jane, and Portrait of a Lady, and the upcoming Gus Van Sant remake of Psycho. He is also the author of several books of poetry and other writings. But for Mortensen observing, writing, painting, photographing, impersonating, studying, and recording the everyday details of life are a way to dig below the surface of events to reveal their meaning. Like good luck charms, these works are invested by the artist with a kind of magic. Transformed and interpreted by Mortensen, the raw materials are no longer important. The authenticity of the work lies in its emotional honesty-itself a very risky proposition in a world that values irony and cynicism above all else.

smart art press catalogue