Dies Irae (Day of Wrath)

In Dies Irae (Day of Wrath), I reference Hieronymus Bosch’s Last Judgement, from his early 16^th century triptych, Garden of Earthly Delights, and replaced his generic humans and hybrid creatures with contemporary characters.  In many of Bosch’s works, he expresses dismay with the corruption of the Church that seems to forecast the Reformation years before Martin Luther’s protest.  A board book accompanies the painting that gives the identity and personal net worth of each contemporary character in the painting.

In this series of paintings, I try to create a poetic picture that invites viewers to engage with emotional and complex issues swirling in the abstract noise of our political landscape.   My hope is that by infusing my imagery with rich colors and sensuous surfaces that crystallize into pointed humor, the picture will provoke curiosity and dissolve emotional blocks surrounding topics that divide us.

I often draw my compositions and color palettes directly from historical European paintings.  I am particularly intrigued by artists whose works were dense with imagery and commentary about the human condition of their times.  I hope to make connections to past traditions, human genius, and the ongoing struggle with human folly, particularly in relation to power abuse and its consequential suffering.