Metanoia

Damascus, 120" x 84" (two panels), oil on canvas, Rico '14

I've been in the grip of a significant existential crisis for the past year.  Recent events have forced me to question the purpose of making art to an unseen and largely silent audience.  Damascus feels like a place where I am unsure whether or not I can push beyond.  I'm not even sure if I want to anymore, but that is another post.

"The Conversion of Saint Paul-Caravaggio (c. 1600-1)" by Caravaggio*

I was thinking of Caravaggio's The Conversion of St. Paul when I painted Damascus, and compositionally I think one can see the similarities. There are actually two versions, the other equally as influential for me personally and perhaps more generally known.  The idea of metanoia (defined by Merriam-Webster as "a transformative change of heart; especially a spiritual conversion") is often associated with a psychotic break.  It's the theme, to me, of Saul's experience on the road to Damascus. Without pushing for too literal of an interpretation, I consciously pushed visual associations with detonations and iconoclasm; the described event in some respect being a collision of the three monotheistic faiths.

Metanoia is a title I've wanted to use for an exhibition of this body of work.  I feel it coveys the past year or two of my studio practice.  I'm hopeful the opportunity for such an exhibition will arise soon.

*scan. Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons - http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Conversion_of_Saint_Paul-Caravaggio_(c._1600-1).jpg#mediaviewer/File:The_Conversion_of_Saint_Paul-Caravaggio_(c._1600-1).jpg