TODD SERLIN

In ‘Body Count’ Serlin uses chalk outlines to deliver powerful messages to a broad audience. His art is a direct response to a profound sense of self, expression, and well-being that connects us all and makes us human. The core story behind his work is a desire for art to be representative of "everybody" - breaking down barriers and using the art form to advocate that we all are connected and that we all matter. The ‘Body Count’ series is heavily influenced by Weegee who worked as a freelance press photographer in New York City during the 1930s and 1940s, producing many of his well-known crime scene photos during this era. Richard Hambleton’s ‘Image Mass Murder’ (1976-1978) is also influential in blurring the line between art and reality. Serlin's use of a continuous line, also a characteristic of Keith Haring's work, expands on their narratives of drawing subjects with continuous, unbroken lines - presenting their figures with a sense of fluidity and rhythm. Serlin’s ‘Body Count’ is driven by a desire to evoke strong public reactions and a deep engagement with the human figure, culminating in a signature series exploring themes of fear, religion, sex, expression, love, and mortality.