Ed Flood

Like his friends and colleagues at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, collectively known as the Chicago Imagists, Ed Floor found inspiration in the artefacts of popular culture, such as comic book illustrations, commercial advertising and postcards. Inspired by H.C. Westermann and Joseph Cornell, Flood painted on layers of Plexiglas held together by joined wooden frames. This reverse painting method on Plexiglas achieved a strikingly polished and bright look, reminiscent of commercially produced graphics and pinball machines. At the same time, it also produced an uncanny visual illusion that challenged the viewer's sense of perspective and depth. His earlier ‘treasure boxes’ depicted meticulously painted colourful tropical beaches and flowers, while over time, they grew more abstract, giving way to pastel, amorphous shapes and patterns.