The world of artist Joseph Yaeger is one of unflinching honesty and raw emotion. His latest exhibition, 'Polygrapher', at the prestigious London gallery Modern Art, promises to be a deeply unsettling experience, inviting viewers into a dreamworld of sex, lies, and the complexities of human nature.
Yaeger's fascination with the polygraph, a device meant to measure deception, is evident in his new body of work. Each painting is accompanied by a transcript from a fictional polygraph test, where Yaeger's answers reveal a tangled web of desires, fears, and memories. These narratives are deeply personal, drawing on the artist's own Catholic upbringing and his relationship with his daughter.
The paintings themselves are monumental in scale, dominated by vibrant colours and textures that evoke the raw intensity of human emotions. Yet, upon closer inspection, cracks and pockmarks reveal the fragility beneath the surface. It is as if Yaeger has captured the imperfections of memory itself – how our recollections can be distorted, incomplete, or even outright false.
One cannot help but feel a sense of voyeurism in gazing upon these works, which seem to hold secrets within their surfaces. The fragments of pistachio shells and dust from the studio floor have become integral to the paintings, binding the past to the present in an unsettling way.
Throughout his practice, Yaeger has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to his artistic vision, sacrificing years of sleep and solitude to create works that are as captivating as they are disturbing. His Catholic upbringing has instilled a sense of penitence in his art, where hours spent battling watercolour and gesso reveal the impermanence of even our most cherished creations.
Ultimately, 'Polygrapher' is an exhibition about the darkness that lurks within us all – the parts we hide from others and ourselves. In Yaeger's hands, this darkness has become a source of beauty and catharsis, one that invites us to confront the complexity of human nature.
Yaeger's fascination with the polygraph, a device meant to measure deception, is evident in his new body of work. Each painting is accompanied by a transcript from a fictional polygraph test, where Yaeger's answers reveal a tangled web of desires, fears, and memories. These narratives are deeply personal, drawing on the artist's own Catholic upbringing and his relationship with his daughter.
The paintings themselves are monumental in scale, dominated by vibrant colours and textures that evoke the raw intensity of human emotions. Yet, upon closer inspection, cracks and pockmarks reveal the fragility beneath the surface. It is as if Yaeger has captured the imperfections of memory itself – how our recollections can be distorted, incomplete, or even outright false.
One cannot help but feel a sense of voyeurism in gazing upon these works, which seem to hold secrets within their surfaces. The fragments of pistachio shells and dust from the studio floor have become integral to the paintings, binding the past to the present in an unsettling way.
Throughout his practice, Yaeger has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to his artistic vision, sacrificing years of sleep and solitude to create works that are as captivating as they are disturbing. His Catholic upbringing has instilled a sense of penitence in his art, where hours spent battling watercolour and gesso reveal the impermanence of even our most cherished creations.
Ultimately, 'Polygrapher' is an exhibition about the darkness that lurks within us all – the parts we hide from others and ourselves. In Yaeger's hands, this darkness has become a source of beauty and catharsis, one that invites us to confront the complexity of human nature.
I'm so hyped for this exhibition! The way the artist combines vibrant colors with these intricate narratives is giving me major chills 
. It's like he's really getting inside our heads and pulling out all the messy emotions and desires that we try to hide from each other 
. I love how the polygraph tests are woven into the artwork - it adds this layer of authenticity that feels so...human? 
Can't wait to see these massive paintings in person and dive deeper into Yaeger's world 
Yaeger's use of polygraph test transcripts is genius, it's like he's peeling away the layers of human emotions to reveal the truth... or is it just our own distorted memories? 
I love how Yaeger has incorporated these random fragments from his studio floor into the art, like he's blurring the line between past & present. It's super unsettling but also kinda mesmerizing 
. And can we talk about how raw and emotional his paintings are? They're like a punch to the gut in the best possible way 
. Anyway, if you haven't checked out 'Polygrapher' yet, do yourself a favour and get ready for some major emotional payoffs 
... like, it's one thing to see a test result on a screen, but when you're staring at these massive paintings with actual stains from his studio floor in them, it's like he's pulling the rug right out from under you 
.
. Like, who needs all that drama and angst in their art? It's just a bunch of paintings with cracked surfaces and cryptic messages – give me something more uplifting, you know? 
I mean, what's next? A whole gallery dedicated to exploring the depths of human despair? No thanks. I'd rather see some positive vibes, like a massive mural of cats or something 
. Art should be fun, not a therapy session. And let's be real, who needs all that Catholic guilt and introspection in their art? Just get me to the bar with some good drinks and decent tunes – now that's what I call an exhibition worth attending 
.