British artist, Nick Gentry, explains that he focuses especially on the use of recycled materials such as film negatives and is concerned with the “development of consumerism, technology, identity and cyberculture in society.” Gentry reuses items such as floppy disks and, in the process, challenges the preconceived notions of the original function of these objects.

In Fade, Gentry utilizes floppy disks as a backdrop for the portrait of a woman. The eyes draw the viewer in, as they seem so blank and yet so captivating in their stare. Similarly, the features of the woman become so pronounced as Gentry emphasizes the contrast between the color used to create depth and the flat background (which is ironically 3D) of the floppy disks. Additionally, the stern and somewhat questioning glance of the subject pulls the viewer in. The viewer’s attention travels outward from the eyes to various points in the portrait, and the negative space created by the white background lets the viewer know (even more so) that the face is the point of focus in this piece. I love the way Gentry recycles these old objects in order to create something so far-removed from the floppy disks’ initial intended use.

Nick Gentry, “Fade” (2014)

Gentry’s piece entitled Lost Moments challenges the preconceived uses of materials such as film negatives and x-rays. The subtle yet powerful lines and depth created through the use of oil and differently-contrasting film and x-rays make the piece so eye-grabbing. Again, Gentry plays with positive and negative space in order to focus the viewer on the subject while emphasizing the usage of these unique materials to achieve the effect he has achieved. The composition would appear to be a photo manipulation if not for the small hints of information left behind about the materials’ previous usages. Also, the stare of the subject seems to create a feeling of uneasiness, as the person seems to be apprehensive about something in the distance. This may be part of Gentry’s goal to question the rise of technology that makes items like film negatives obsolete.

Nick Gentry, “Lost Moments” (2012)

Overall, I found Gentry’s use of these unusual objects to paint on to be very informative; now, I understand what oil or other mediums on top of found objects such as film and floppy disks appears. Gentry inspires me to continue experimenting with different materials and challenges me to question why certain items are used (like whether the use of a found object translates to commentary on the state of society in this day and age).