The Basement Paintings

The Basement Paintings examine my observations on fear, war, and betrayal. I’ve found that in our current world, achievement and possibility are optimized and self-expression becomes a never ending pursuit. The subject, who has been told that they can do whatever their heart desires, begins to experience life as a means to expanding the self and eliminating the Other. The result of this operation is an exhaustion which sends the subject into a narcissistic bubble, in which meaningful connection is impossible. The books of philosopher Byung-Chul Han helped me articulate my thoughts on these matters. These meditations began during my time abroad in Florence, when I found that no one was willing to even acknowledge the genocide taking place in Gaza. Seeing how people could ignore such a blatant atrocity commenced my inquiry into the psychology of the modern subject. While in Europe, works by Baroque artists such as Peter Paul Rubens and Caravaggio inspired me. Francisco Goya and other Romanticists revealed to me how tone and texture could convey a story. Seeing paintings by more modern artists including Ben Shahn and Francis Bacon helped me understand how paint could be used as a tool to uncover the unconscious. By the time I returned to the States, I was ready to make a series of challenging oil paintings that would analyze the symptoms of our society. In celebration of the canon of renowned oil painters that came before me, I only use oils in these works; And I utilized the various ways in which the medium can be applied to activate an atmosphere of suffering in my works. The thick, dripping impastos bring up feelings of a world falling apart. Dry brushing and scumbling give my scenes a gritty look that reflects their somber subject matter. Throughout the works, there is a recurring color palette with psychological significance: Reds and oranges reflect the anxiety of the modern subject; The blues and greens evoke our depression. Moreover, Roman mythology and Christian imagery are desecrated to show the current realities of the ideals their deities stood for. In tending to our neuroses, The Basement Paintings welcome the viewer to sit with discomfort.