Daydream

Artist David Jester

Oil on wood

36 x 36 in (91 x 91 cm)

David Jester’s Daydream is an evocative exploration of distorted perception, weightlessness, and the fluid boundaries between reality and illusion. Suspended beneath the water’s surface, the central figure floats in a moment of surrender, their body bathed in soft blue hues and dappled reflections. Above, the standing figure, rendered in earthy tones, looms over the distorted pool edge—an inverted reflection that seems to exist in a different dimension, tethered yet separate from the submerged world below.

Jester’s masterful handling of water’s refractive properties results in a composition that blurs the line between realism and surrealism. The pool tiles, fractured by rippling light, create an optical illusion of warped geometry, while the reflections of trees and sky above morph into a painterly abstraction. The composition challenges the viewer’s sense of orientation—which figure is real, and which is a reflection? Is the submerged body reaching outward, or simply floating in passive observation?

The artist’s signature use of hyperrealistic skin tones infused with luminous blues and liquid shadows gives the figure an almost sculptural quality, yet the distortions remind us of the impermanence of form and the shifting nature of identity. The juxtaposition of light and dark, fluidity and solidity, presence and absence reinforces the painting’s psychological depth—suggesting themes of self-exploration, altered perception, and the tension between states of being.

With Daydream, Jester creates an experience rather than just an image. The viewer is drawn into the painting’s ethereal liminality, caught between the clarity of the submerged body and the instability of the reflections above. A masterful interplay of physics and emotion, this work resonates as a meditation on perception, self-awareness, and the quiet mysteries hidden beneath the surface of things.

About The Artwork

“Daydream” depicts two figures gracefully interacting underwater. Rich blues and greens depict the scene, with filtered light creating enchanting patterns on both figures and surfaces. The floating figure’s relaxed pose suggests contemplation or reverie, while the standing figure’s upright position adds balance. Vibrant aquatic hues and gentle undulations enhance the tranquil, introspective mood.

Jester’s pool series explores gay life online and in apps – how individuals present themselves and treat one another. The pool represents an isolated yet connected environment, highlighting distorted views of others inside and out.

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