Will Cotton‘s sumptuous oil paintings are in the soft focus, soft-core tradition of 18th-century masters Broc, Gerard, Franque and Fragonard. Like his predecessors, Cotton (born in Massachusetts in 1965 and studied art at New York’s Cooper Union and the New York Academy of Art) paints beautiful, creamy skinned nudes amidst luscious surroundings. But while Cotton’s paintings recall the sensuality and delight of his forefathers, Cotton updates his opulent source material by replacing pastoral love scenes with mountains of sweets and erotic treats. Cotton is now a Senior Critic at the Academy.
What are the criteria that make a work of art contemporary/relevant?