What sets Rochefort's Paint Cans apart is his ability to imbue them with a sense of narrative and emotion. While they retain the recognizable shape of their mundane counterparts, they transcend their origins, becoming vessels of imagination and expression. Each can seems to tell a story, hinting at the artist's creative process and the myriad influences that inform his work. The genesis of the Paint Can series draws inspiration from the iconic image of Francis Bacon's chaotic studio, wherein brushes and paint cans sprawl in the room's epicenter.
Each cylinder's surface pays homage to abstract painters whom Rochefort deeply admires, such as Joan Mitchell, Albert Oehlen, and Willem de Kooning. Historically, utilitarian vessels bore narratives of daily life or tales of their creators. In Rochefort's reinterpretation, however, the narrative unfolds through his glazing process, a tribute to the artists who resonate profoundly with him.
Through the Paint Can series, Rochefort invites viewers to reconsider the familiar and discover the extraordinary in the everyday. His sculptures challenge conventional notions of ceramics as static and unchanging, embracing fluidity instead. With their vibrant colors, dynamic forms, and rich textures, Rochefort's Paint Cans are a testament to the enduring power of art to enchant and inspire.