Dimensions: each panel 72” x 44”
Total: 72” x 150”
Panels: 3
Year: 2017- 2023
Medium: Carbon nanotube, water colour and ink
Description:
Inspired by the Garden of Eden and the Fall of Man painting of 1508- 1512 by Michelangelo.
In this large tryptic Adam kneels in the central image his vision fixed on one of many apples on the tree of life, symbolizing the temptations of life, worshiping it!
While his perfect love Eve is directly opposite him is also completely distracted as she dances with temptations of her own, neither seeing each other, or the dangers of the world represented by the snake, which separates them. Text is written across her leg, “ I have Choice, What does it mean to have Choice?”
The central snake is marked with a skull as an expression of honesty, it’s mask removed, having no need to hide itself, as we choose not to recognize it, or each other with life’s static over powering us.
An already fallen discarded female figure of past temptation below them looks outward oblivious to the snake which looms above her. Her gaze fixed only on the apple she has already bitten, seeing no evil, but caught in its memory. Poppies and their addictive force grow along the forrest floor surrounding the figures in temptation.
The left and right panels are in black and white framing the central image and are presented as if they were sculptures, representing further sexual temptation, while apples, and poppies, reach into and poison their world as well.
The left panels figure holds her hand to her ear, but hears no evil, while the figure on the right holds her tongue, speaking no evil, furthering the message of our ability to allow distraction to waste our lives, ignoring its dangers, and none of the figures truly acknowledge each other.
Something I think we are all selfishly guilty of as we meet the crossroads of life which the crosses on either panel represent.
This work took four years to complete, in water color and ink.