Elements of Art Analysis: Agnus Dei

 Agnus Dei

Evan Cagle 

Agnus Dei 

Artist: Evan Cagle (Los Angeles, Unknown)

Medium: Ink on paper

The Artist:

For the first stage of my journey through the world of art, I've chosen this piece by illustrator Evan Cagle. Cagle, an American artist working and living in Los Angeles, is a quiet presence online. He prefers giving his artwork center stage, keeping much about his private life away from the public eye (the exception being the occasional mention of his dog, Edzl). Cagle has worked in media since at least 2005, his most notable contributions to a variety of fields within that realm being animation for "A Scanner Darkly" (2006), the video game "King's Quest: The Complete Collection" (2015), and various cover art for comic series such as "Batman" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer". Cagle is the Art Director for "The Odd Gentleman" as well, and posts his many pieces--from covers to concept art--on his website, X (Twitter), as well as Instagram. In a short interview on Youtube, he said the video games that most influenced his artistic style were "Okami" (2006) and "Journey" (2015), two visually stunning examples of what pushing the boundaries of art can do in the world of games.

The Art:

"Agnus Dei" stood out to me for its simplicity. The effect of Cagle's linework here is a dramatic one, creating a still image full of movement and tension. Seeming to be right out of the scene of a comic--as many of his works are--it depicts a youthful person rising out of the middle of a large billow of smoke, their gaze set on an unknown point in the distance. The figure is drawn with unfinished, jagged edges; a focused brow; and a sharp stare that ignores the viewer and their casual observance. The negative space around their face creates the illusion of light on their body, the shading on their face and limbs making this 2D form an optical one.  

The harsh black behind the white figure adds an element of danger and sets it firmly apart from them. Cagle's use of an irregular pattern in the smoke creates the effect of gentle movement and form, of rolling clouds in the background, whereas the patterns on the figure are more regular and firm. The form is ephemeral and gaseous, lending to the feeling of danger. In the smaller clouds, there are jagged edges and thin lines as if the light is overpowering it on the right of the picture, causing it to dissipate. 

Despite the figure's tense atmosphere, the white in the form's positive space evokes feelings of trust and kinship. The light tones add to the feeling of reliability as if the subject is about to do something important. The determination in their stance against the wafting smoke that threatens to envelop them completely is a mark of stark defiance in what is a chaotic scene. 

The colors chosen for this piece--white, black, and grey--have multiple effects. The simplicity of the palette creates feelings of dread, anticipation, and sympathy. Though I wasn't able to find a date for this piece, it was likely created within the past few years. The tumultuous tides of the 2020s have had disastrous effects on the daily lives of people the world over. The smoking forms in the piece harken to the waves of sickness and plague in recent years, of endless war and suffering, and their lasting, disastrous consequences. The black and white feel like direct links to our own battles in the modern social sphere, with the rise in hate and race-driven crimes and a constant conflict over which voices are heard. The layperson in this piece is relatable in their struggles, just another human fighting to exist in their own little bubble of the world. We cheer them on as if they represent us and our own battles, the drive to survive in an era where suffering is perpetually in our field of vision. Whether in our backyard or on our phones, computers, or tablets, it's nigh impossible to exist in our modern society without daily exposure to it.

Even the grey has its own power, aging this youthful person as they stand in the shadows of all the harsh reality that surrounds them. It adds a measure of calm to an otherwise energetic piece, giving a small respite to the viewer.

Ultimately, this piece works within its own sphere of the art world, paying no mind to the more extravagant pieces that surround it. It is a testament to the power of lines, light, and form, reminding the observer that strong emotion can be conveyed with only the ink in a pen or a few strokes of a brush. It's not the talent of an artist, but the refined skills and knowledge of the many concepts used in art that create the depth of expression found in this piece.

Video of Artist Working


Works Cited:

Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, A. of I.A.& S. (2015) #IntothePixel artist interview with Evan Cagle (king’s quest - 2015), YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SnH4tpEqAqc (Accessed: 09 September 2023).

Cagle, E. (2019) Portfolio Day, Twitter. Available at: https://twitter.com/cagle_evan/status/1148706239041269760 (Accessed: 09 September 2023).

Cagle, E. (2019) Evan Cagle. Available at: http://www.evancagle.com/ (Accessed: 09 September 2023).

HD visuals (2017) Okami HD. Available at: https://www.okami-game.com/ (Accessed: 09 September 2023). 

IMDb, Imd. (1990) Evan Cagle, IMDb. Available at: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1933480/ (Accessed: 09 September 2023).

Tgc (2020) Journey, thatgamecompany. Available at: https://thatgamecompany.com/journey/ (Accessed: 09 September 2023). 

Quick View, Detective Comics #1072 Cover, US$3, N. (2023) Evan Cagle, Inky Knuckles Comic Art. Available at: https://inkyknuckles.com/evan-cagle (Accessed: 09 September 2023).

Comments

  1. Stefanie WalkerSeptember 22, 2023 at 5:43 AM

    This is a very enique piece. The you tube video that you have linked was very interesting to watch. I really learned a lot about what this artist does.

    ReplyDelete

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