“Ancestors” presents a series of works about personal destiny, the connection between generations, and the fragility of human life. In the paintings there are recognizable forms of a man, a pregnant woman and a silhouette of a child, serving as a connection between the two. At the same time, these forms resemble hulks of burned buildings or strange, two-headed animals. The mirror imaging symbolizes the repetition of human history in time, the connection between generations. Each generation experiences its own tragedies, wars, natural disasters, forced emigration, and loss of loved ones. The cycle repeats itself.
The works look archaic – the image is flat, without depth or perspective, the forms are simplified to symbols, the palette is limited. The all-consuming yellow for me is a symbol or spiritual light and wisdom, warmth, hope and joy. Instead of depicting specific great-grandparents, I wanted to depict the idea of the generations that preceded us, who lived complex lives with its joys and sorrows.
In the lower part of the work, half-erased forms symbolizing a man, woman, infant and plant peek through between the root legs. The further into the depths of centuries your ancestors are, the more sketchy is the idea of them, but we continue to carry their particles in us without realizing. We carry their fate, tragedies and losses as well as the connection to the future.
Despite the pain and suffering, the thread of human existence stretches through millennia, and the lineage continues despite all cataclysms. The works are made on wood with applied relief, reminiscent of old tree bark or collapsed plaster.
West Orange Public Library | Solo Exhibition "Growth Amid Chaos" | Summer 2024
Ancestors (01), Diptych | 2024 | Mixed Media, Acrylic on Wood | 48 x 42 inch
Ancestors (02), Diptych | 2024 | Mixed Media, Acrylic on Wood | 48 x 42 inch
Ancestors (03), Diptych | 2024 | Mixed Media, Acrylic on Wood | 48 x 42 inch
Ancestors (04), Diptych | 2024 | Mixed Media, Acrylic on Wood | 48 x 42 inch
West Orange Public Library | Solo Exhibition "Growth Amid Chaos" | Summer 2024
Watchung Art Center | Exhibition "Archeology of Memory" | 10/2024