Dan McCarthy’s Black Ball is captivating in its quiet simplicity. Removed from all traces of environment McCarthy’s beach girl is isolated on a fresh white background; a visual device that both heightens her allure and allows the paint itself to suggest a scene. Using oil paint with the effect of watercolour, McCarthy renders his figure in pale blue washes, allowing the subtle fluctuations of hue and intensity to replicate light and water, capturing perfectly a moment of poolside leisure. Through his articulate draughtsmanship, McCarthy’s Black Ball exudes a rarefied elegance, flaunting a sensile formalism to venture a delicate and contemplative moment of beauty.