Kyle Barnes: Second Skin

Kyle Barnes paints portrait busts of a young woman whose head and shoulders have been coated in a creamy, viscous liquid, as if she has been dipped into a slick of some anointing oil. These images suggest the moment of a baptismal immersion. The resultant glistening carapace is a protective second skin that is both transformative and revealing. It defines and enhances the characteristics of the person it encloses.