Atlas Lustra (After O’Keefe)
2024
In this sylvan setting, inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe’s artistic legacy, viewers are invited to interpret the rich symbolism portrayed in each painting. Through a pictorial vocabulary of undulating forms and subtle gradations of tone, botanical subjects undergo a transformation that oscillates between abstraction and representation. Close cropping techniques magnify flora, suggesting boundlessness beyond conventional frames.
Atlas Lustra diverges from recent figurative compositions focused on cave iconography from the Atlas Obscura series, instead exploring the intricate interplay and symbiotic relationship between the human condition and the interconnectedness of all living things.
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As a side note: The series title "Lustra" references Ezra Pound’s collection of poems published in 1916. Pound, a prominent figure in modernist literature, used "Lustra" to experiment with language and form, exploring themes of love, war, art, and society. The title itself signifies a period of renewal or purification, reflecting Pound’s innovative approach to poetry influenced by Japanese and Chinese literary traditions.