Dave King

In Popsicle, David King evokes a sun-filled, nostalgic summer scene framed by swirling currents of slate-grey paint. Two figures inhabit this white, open expanse: in the foreground, a swimmer in a swim cap stands knee-deep in gestural ripples, while above, a youth sits quietly enjoying a frozen treat. The striking contrast between the sunlit, warm-toned figures—rendered in rich oranges, deep purples, and ochre—and the cool, sweeping grey backdrop creates a calm yet poignant atmosphere of suspended memory.

Positioned between expressive realism and contemporary figuration, the painting relies on a striking use of negative space and structural isolation. King disrupts traditional narrative depth by embedding the subjects within a maze-like, ribboned track of paint that weaves across the stark white substrate. Rather than placing the figures in a realistic poolside setting, the artist treats the environment as a fluid visual current, framing each moment as a distinct fragment of youth and leisure held in balance.

Executed in oil on an aluminum panel, the artwork leverages the smooth, non-porous surface to achieve sharp graphic definition and fluid momentum. The combed, multi-layered grey strokes glide across the plane with effortless velocity, preserving precise brush grooves alongside luminous underlying light. By contrasting this energetic, abstract ribboning with the textured, highly saturated figurative details, King translates a simple summer recollection into a timeless study of light, memory, and quiet solitude.