ARTAVODAH

EVENTS

Explanation of Work

My work has been described by one art appraiser as Metaphysical Surrealism, though I am not sure it is the best description. I try to reflect the entirety of life in my art, including both the good and bad which all life consists of. Even though the subject matter might be and usually is quite serious, I always use bright and vivid colors which signify an eternal hope no matter what the circumstances might be. The name I paint under is an assumed name taken as a tribute to Soren Kierkegaard (the father of existentialism) and the pulp fiction and comics which I consumed on a steady diet in my formative years.

My art is a compilation of the experiences which I have encountered throughout my life, an odd mixture at best. It is concerned with religion and philosophy and has been flavored with such writings and art which I have consumed from an early age, perhaps including a little Dr. Suess in the process. In my current profession I have spoken with countless murderers, rapists, robbers, etc., and I have seen first hand the effects of what most people hope they never encounter, yet I am grounded within a firm belief in an eternal existence and the sovereignty of the one true God. Evil is self destructive and those that wield it cannot escape it's effects.

Symbolic of the eternal aspects found in life and that next existence called death, my work reflects those more serious aspects concerning our existence. The metaphysical versus the merely physical, the eternal versus the temporal are the subjects which are always present in my paintings. The six pointed Star of David is always present, symbolic of eternal truth and certain colors are used to represent physical and spiritual subjects. There are also objects such as the eye of horus, tears, hearts, torah scrolls, Greek letters, crucifix, clouds, flowers, stars and lightening and many other symbols and numbers whose meaning might or might not be obvious.

When I began to actively pursue my artistic career, I used quotes from various philosophers and theologians, but very few understood the quotes, much less the art. And so now I must resort to the obvious in order to explain the not so obvious, yet I will go no further here in explaining what each painting is about since it would be too tiresome and so, the title alone will have to suffice for now. Those that understand symbolism will see a statement purported with colors and shapes instead of the obvious words. My work is not for everyone, and is dedicated as Kierkegaard dedicated his, 'to that solitary individual whom I with joy and gratitude, call my reader.' Abraham Joshua Heschel wrote , "Thus the issue which must be discussed first is not belief, ritual, or the religious experience, but the source of all these phenomena: the total situation of man; not how he experiences the supernatural, but why he experiences and accepts it" " Our starting point is not the known, the finite, the order, but the unknown within the known, the infinite with the finite, the mystery within the order. All creative thinking comes out of an encounter with the unknown."

RECENT WORKS