Phillip J. Speciale (°1959, Chicago, United States) is a self taught artist who works in a variety of media. Speciale tries to approach a wide scale of subjects in a multi-layered way and likes to involve the viewer in a way that is sometimes challenging.
His artworks sometimes directly respond to the surrounding environment and uses everyday experiences from the artist as a starting point. Often these are framed instances that would go unnoticed in their original context. With a conceptual approach, he tries to creates intense personal moments luring the viewer round and round in a world of imagination.
Speciale’s works are presented with the aim not to provide an idealistic view but to identify where light and the environment are important. The energy of a place and its emotional and spiritual vibrations are always important. By replaying the work for each viewing and pushing the evocative power of the work a little further, he tries to focus on the activity of presenting. The character, shape or content of the presented artwork is secondary. The essential things are the momentary and the intention of presenting.
His works do reference a recognizable form. The results are deconstructed to the extent that the meaning is shifted and possible interpretation becomes multifaceted.