Alex Roulette
Friday, 9 October 2009
I used to read Franklin Dixon’s Hardy Boys series. It accompanied me through my early teenage years and filled me with preconceived notions of masculinity from an American perspective. As I was just about to reach puberty, I was not fully aware of the meaning of being a young man. The transition took place awkwardly (as is the case with everyone else I am sure) and I was stuck in limbo for a long time. Looking back, I now realise that the characters as portrayed played a huge role of defining my masculinity. I looked up to them, and mimicked their actions. I even tried to assume their identities, if only hypothetically.
Today, as I came across Alex Roulette’s work, I could not help but reflect on all those afternoons I spent consumed with the boys and their adventures, and my vivid imaginations of their feelings and surroundings. I had, in my mind, definite ideas of a typical young American boy’s experiences, and these paintings really embody that image…
Please visit Alex Roulette’s site to view more of his work.