Enigmatic Narratives Unfold in Aron Wiesenfeld’s Dreamy Oil Paintings

Whether playing a game of Uno on the back patio by the light of a headlamp or wading into a preternaturally still body of water on a pitch-black night, the figures in Aron Wiesenfeld’s works calmly exist amid an air of mystery. His enigmatic paintings and drawings entice viewers into a world of timeless intrigue, delving into the power of visibility and imagination. Uncanny lighting creates silhouettes and deep, hidden distances. And individuals gaze at things just beyond the frame or move into unseen spaces.

Wiesenfeld’s vignettes are often set during dusk or in darkness, where the background gradually fades away. Many pieces summon a subtle tension, such as in “Transfer,” where a black dog looks away while a light from an obscured source shines on a mother and her child. In “Reunion,” a young boy wearing a crown gazes directly at the viewer while a solemn discussion occurs behind him.

an oil painting of two young people playing Uno on a patio at night in the light of a headlamp while a dog looks on — “Warm Night”

Despite the nuanced and inscrutable scenes, there is little sense of malice or danger and rather an emphasis on curiosity and the possibility of different interpretations. Wiesenfeld homes in on moments of calm communion between individuals and with nature, evoking blips from memories, dreams, and ambiguous narratives.

The artist has been working on a graphic novel, which will be published in France this September with the title La Fuite. Pre-orders for the French version are open now. Next year, it’s set for an English release, titled Runoff, care of Image Comics. See more and follow updates on the artist’s Instagram.

an oil painting by Aron Wiesenfeld of a group of spectral women moving toward a dark cliff, with a young woman in shorts and t-shirt walking behind them — Page from ‘Runoff’

an oil painting by Aron Wiesenfeld of a mysterious black-and-white world with bare tree trunks and a small shoreline, where a white horse stands and a figure wades into the still water — “Limbo”

an oil painting by Aron Wiesenfeld of a white horse and rider amid an autumnal wooded scene with bare tree trunks and a ground of red leaves — “Lonely Kingdom”

an oil painting by Aron Wiesenfeld of a mother and daughter in an open landscape near a tree, lit up perhaps by a headline, with a black dog nearby — “Transfer”

an oil painting by Aron Wiesenfeld of a silhouetted figure on a bicycle heading into a dimly lit entrance of a darkened tunnel — “Entrance”

an oil painting by Aron Wiesenfeld of a tiny figure standing on a bed, looking out the window at a full-size human boy looking back in — “Window”

an oil painting by Aron Wiesenfeld of a young person on a bike, wearing a yellow rain jacket, stopped and delicately holding a bird in their hand — “Outskirts”

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