“Any man’s my man if I want it that way.” - Joan Crawford as Eva Phillips in Queen Bee - 1955

Film noir means black film. It is a French term coined for American-style films that developed in Hollywood during the 1940s and 50s.

I began painting this series in 2019. However, the events of 2020 give this exhibition heightened relevance. Noir reflects the dark side of humanity. Men returning from war found a different America than the one they left. Feelings of displacement and alienation surfaced as men readjust to a new post-World War II economic, political, and social society.

The atmosphere of post-WWII America is similar to America’s current mood. New feelings of alienation and disillusionment is rampant due to environmental, political, and racial unrest.

The shadowy look of Noir reflects the dark, pessimistic mood of the American psyche. Post-war America gave birth to a new male and female. The men are cynical, disillusioned, and fatalistic. The women are ambitious, independent, and sexually liberated.

The look of Noir pays homage to the black-and-white cinematography of classic Hollywood film noir. However, the soul of the paintings reflects the agitation of disenfranchised Americans past and present.

In these trying times, people need to understand the feelings of those marginalized in society. By exhibiting Noir, I hope to express the pain felt by a disenchanted society. But most of all, I hope to help heal it. ❤️‍🩹