Dexter Dalwood (b. 1960)

Room 100 at New York’s Chelsea Hotel is the infamous site of the violent death of Nancy Spungen, allegedly at the hands of her boyfriend Sid Vicious. Dexter Dalwood paints this scene with clinical detachment: the chaotic room is devoid of salacious detail, dehumanised in its simplicity. The composition is regulated through the use of pairs, as lamps, cupboard doors and bed frames act as coupled shapes. The broken bed is symbolic of tragic breakdown, as Dalwood creates a site of regret and despair in the light of related events. At the foot of the bed we see an upturned TV, its image frozen on two black-clad figures. On the floor, Dalwood paints a pool of melting candles, suggestive not only of drug culture but also the adage that those who shine brightest burn quickest.