The artwork titled “Mayhem,” created by Luc Tuymans in 2003, is an exemplary piece that originates from Belgium and belongs to the New European Painting movement. Crafted with oil on canvas, this genre painting measures 187 by 291 centimeters. The composition reflects a scene that appears both mundane and disquieting, characteristic of Tuymans’ approach to his subject matter.
“Mayhem” depicts a vast, muted landscape scattered with various objects that appear to be strewn across a flat expanse. The color palette is subdued, dominated by earthy tones with occasional spots of more saturated colors, which stand out against the dreary background. The assortment of objects includes shapes reminiscent of cylinders, cones, and what appears to be a plane in the center, bearing a sense of abandonment or disorder. The perspective is from a distance, and the painting offers an aerial view, which contributes to the feeling of detachment and observation. Each object’s shadow is meticulously painted, suggesting a source of light that is not visible in the frame, adding depth to the otherwise flat field. The artwork contains no human figures, evoking a haunting sense of silence and emptiness.
