Man in the Dark

Central to Roche’s work is his Caribbean heritage, which is reflected in his use of color as well as in his self-identification as an “island man,” an image he puts forward in many pseudo self-portraits. Roche imbues his compositions with spiritualism and evocations of the power of nature.

In Man in the Dark, a male figure against a dark background seems to merge with nature itself, his fingers morphing into long, branch-like appendages, his skin rendered in a rough texture reminiscent of tree bark. A glowing halo suggests a religious icon, while the title implies a trying psychological or spiritual state. The apparent suffering of the man, captured in a state of petrification, contributes to Roche’s self-representation as a Jesus-like figure.

Roche’s painting technique contributes to the emotionalism of the composition. He has applied multiple layers of oil paint to create a thick impasto. The inky black upper layers are partially scratched away, in a technique known as grattage, to reveal fiery reds and yellows underneath that cause the figure to glow as though from an inner light. Roche’s use of vibrant color and lively, textured surfaces are typical of Neo-Expressionism, as is the artist’s supposed transference of personal emotions to the work during its creation.