That's That

American artist Michael Cline paints narrative scenes infused with satire, surrealism and dystopian myth. His imaginary protagonists play out tales of sin, seduction and violence, weaving contemporary fables infused with humour and debauchery. Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, the present work is an arresting example of this practice, evoking the language of George Grosz in its portrayal of human tension. ‘I consider myself a storyteller’, says Cline. ‘… I think more often my paintings take on the character of parable.’ Trained at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Cline featured in the Saatchi Gallery’s group shows Body Language (2013) and Black Mirror: Art as Social Satire (2018), and has exhibited at institutions including the Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Rome and the Deste Foundation, Athens. His works are held in the Museum of Modern Art, New York and the Museum of Old and New Art, Tasmania.