About this artwork
In this painting, the bubble-like capsule encompassing the man’s head is, as the title suggests, a flea’s impression of a head seen through its multi-faceted eye. But why the man wears only one shoe and why another head appears at his waist is not clear, nor is it intended to be. Campbell was influenced by the spirit of Surrealism – the idea of a picture reflecting mental space, rather than real, physical, space. Yet, while his work is complex and absurd, it is also humorous. As in this picture, Campbell’s paintings often suggest a narrative, but this cannot be ‘read’ in a straightforward manner. Many of his paintings contain strong theatrical elements, showing the influence of contemporary performance art.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Steven Campbell (1953 - 2007) Scottish
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title:A Man Perceived by a Flea
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date created:1985
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materials:Oil on canvas
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measurements:272.00 x 242.00 cm
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object type:
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credit line:Purchased 1987
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accession number:GMA 3049
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gallery:
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subject:
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artwork photographed by:Antonia Reeve
Steven Campbell
Steven Campbell
Steven Campbell emerged as the leading figure of a group of Scottish figurative painters who began to exhibit their work in the early 1980s. After working as an engineer for seven years, in 1982 Campbell graduated from Glasgow School of Art. A Fulbright Scholarship took him to New York, where he...