Dave Black

Your work often feels cinematic, as if it captures a suspended moment from a film. How does cinema influence the way you construct an image on canvas?

Cinema influences how I construct an image rather than what I depict. I approach a painting as a framed moment, similar to a film still taken out of context. For me, composition and color are the main tools to create atmosphere and emotional presence. The way elements are positioned in the frame and then combined with specific color choices. It allows a certain mood to emerge without relying on narrative. The cinematic quality in my work comes from this construction of space, tension, and feeling not from direct references to film.

Dave Black | Hollywood Cruisin’ | 2021

You mention that you are more interested in emotional tension than in literal narratives. How do you know when a painting has reached the right level of tension?

I don’t approach emotional tension as something that can be measured or planned. I usually start a painting because I’m carrying a certain image or feeling and the act of painting is a way of releasing it. I know a work has reached the right level of tension when that internal pressure disappears and when the image no longer occupies my thoughts. At that point, adding more would feel unnecessary. The tension isn’t resolved visually, but it is resolved for me internally.

Many of your works balance between control and chaos through strong lines and high contrast. Is this balance intuitive, or do you consciously plan it during the process?

I usually begin a painting with a rough idea of the color palette but this changes continuously throughout the process. I spend a lot of time deciding where specific colors belong, so there is a strong sense of control during most of the work. The balance between control and chaos becomes most visible toward the end. At that point, I deliberately introduce an uncontrolled gesture by applying red paint in a way that I can no longer fully direct. I don’t control where the red splatters land and that loss of control brings a final layer of tension into the painting. Chaos is not accidental in my work. It is consciously invited at the moment when all structure is already in place.

Dave Black | California Stillness | 2025

Automotive culture and Californian imagery appear repeatedly in your work. What do these symbols represent for you on an emotional or psychological level?

Automotive culture and California are deeply connected to a sense of identity and emotional belonging for me. My fascination with classic cars started at an early age and never disappeared. I used to own several old Chevy vans and I now own a Volvo Amazon from 1966. They represent more than objects, they carry ideas of freedom, memory, and individuality. A car is both movement and solitude at the same time.

California functions in a similar way. It feels less like a destination and more like a psychological landscape. Whenever I’m there, it feels like coming home rather than visiting a place. The atmosphere, the light, the openness all of it resonates with how I experience the world emotionally. In my work, these elements become symbols of longing, escape, and familiarity rather than literal references to a specific place or object.

Dave Black | Zeus | 2024

You work both with vibrant color compositions and black-and-white portraits. How does your mindset change when you move between color and monochrome?

My paintings in color are often an explosion of energy and can feel intense or busy. I balance this with black-and-white works, which are calmer and provide a visual contrast in exhibitions. The use of color brings immediate vitality and presence, while the monochrome pieces convey a quieter, more introspective energy. Shifting between the two allows me to explore different emotional states and gives the overall body of work a dynamic rhythm.

Dave Black | Pamela | 2022

Music is listed as one of your inspirations. Do you listen to specific music while painting, and does it shape the rhythm or mood of your work?

Music plays an important role in my painting process. I always create a specific atmosphere in my studio, using both lighting and music to set the right mood. Most often I listen to rock music like Neil Young, Deep Purple, Lynyrd Skynyrd and so on. These songs immerse me completely in my own world, shaping the rhythm of my gestures and the emotional tone of the work. Music helps me enter a focused state where the atmosphere and energy of the painting emerge naturally.

Dave Black | Sunflowers I | 2024

You have exhibited in Europe and have works in collections in the United States. Do you notice differences in how audiences from different cultures respond to your work?

In my experience, most viewers who connect with my work respond in similar ways, regardless of where they are from. While cultural context can subtly influence interpretation, the core emotional impact of my paintings, the tension, energy or atmosphere seems to resonate universally. People engage with the work primarily through feeling rather than through specific references, which makes the response surprisingly consistent across audiences.