Big Wheel, 2007

Private Collection, Calgary

A native of Wainright, Alberta, Dorland relies heavily on his tumultuous experiences growing up, translating into works charged with challenges to preconceived notions of the Canadian landscape within a contemporary context. “Big Wheel” depicts a haunting image of emptiness where the only traces of life are the abandoned toys on the front lawn of the suburban home and the ghost-like figure blending into the right-most tree trunk. There is an inherent tension and visual conflict at play in the piece, a complex and recurring element to Dorland’s body at work. The vibrant neons contrasting with the muted tones of the house, foreground and background creates a jarring visual comment on the symbols of “having it all”- the suburban home on a corner lot, lush green front yard, sedan in the driveway and a family to rear. The narrative here takes a decidedly darker tone where having it all may not be just that. Rather than a soft and rosy depiction of a happy home life, looser and thickly applied paints and pigments reference a more aggressive and dystopian representation of a typical suburban scene, disrupting the viewers initial assumptions of home sweet home.