The Lovers, 2019 (Diptych)
Size: 24x18 inches
Media: Hybrid media – ink, dry media, and digital
Status: In Progress (Planned Triptych)
The Lovers is a two-part portrait series that explores intimacy, betrayal, and duality within romantic relationships. Each figure—a man and a woman—represents not just individuals, but archetypes caught in the tension of vulnerability and deception. The pieces were conceived as part of a triptych, with a third installment partially completed but postponed due to early limitations in resources for mixed media work. Now, with greater access to materials, the project is expected to be revisited.
This series marked Nathan Cook’s first foray into digital hybrid work, combining traditional ink, graphite, and other dry media with digital tools. The process became an experiment in both technique and chemistry: the sepia-toned paper effect in The Lovers, Wife was an unrepeatable chemical reaction—giving the piece an unpredictable material life of its own.
Feathers, face paint, and blood-like marks evoke themes of tribalism, war, and survival in love. Ultimately, The Lovers explores the fragile theater of relationships—the hidden agendas, the tension between affection and destruction, and the emotional warfare that often hides behind intimacy.
