ArtistsNetwork.com 65walk through the landscapes of Andrew McIntosh’s Abandoned
Dollhouses series is both disorienting and familiar. Disorienting because
the background is often desolate or shrouded in mist; familiar because
the structures themselves—particularly the caravans (trailers)—are
the type that we’ve passed by over the course of our everyday lives.
The abandoned buildings and vehicles all feature a cutout section
that reveals the imagined interior, fitted with iconic artworks, constel-
lation maps or other surprises. It’s this contrast between the beautifully
painted architecture and interiors and the abandoned landscapes sur-
rounding them that fascinates, prompting the viewer to devise a story.
McIntosh’srationalefor painting caravans was a desire to make it easier to incorporate the cut-
away and visual entry point into the room by starting with small “buildings.” His first thought
was to test his composition idea with a shed, but sheds, he decided, aren’t fun. His second idea
was caravans: “They’re easy to paint; they’re just little rounded rectangles. Hence, friendly shapes
in an eerie sort of environment.”
ABOVE
Perseus
oil on linen,
18 ⁹ ⁄ ₁^0 x20⁴⁄₅OPPOSITE
Black Magic
oil on linen,
26²⁄₅x30⅓