The Outpost of Promise Painting

In this painting the scene of a procession is underway, moving toward and past the viewer. The main player, embodying the persona of an Old Testament-like heroic, multi-cultural savior, or loosely rendered and contextualized "pied piper," leads others (an old man, a young child) toward a fictionalized promised land, while other less enthusiastic, even cynically minded characters watch but don't join the parade. Coming unavoidably to mind, and serving as the backdrop for the painting, is our desire as a people during these troubled times of Covid-19 for a leader to show us the way out of the fog of danger and depression, and into the light of the renewal and reawakening we so desire. The title, "The Outpost of Promise," which is appropriated from a 2009 album by the Australian indie rock band, "Halfway," alludes to the notion that the savior or saving force is not easily found, but that its promise to be there for us when we most need it is irrefutable, especially when sought with humility and good intentions for our shared human commonality. This work is part of my ongoing series examining the struggle of being human. Influences, among others, include Max Beckmann, Edvard Munch, Bob Thompson, George McNeil, Richard Diebenkorn, David Park, Francesco Clemente, R.B. Kitaj and Willem de Kooning.