Expulsion of Adam and Eve

This is a take-off on Massaccio’s EXPULSION FROM EDEN, 1428. I love how Massaccio packs so much pathos into his painting and I am trying to emulate that. I rendered the figures in a German Expressionistic style (thick black lines carving out simplified forms) to emphasize the tragedy of this moment as Adam and Eve are cast out of God’s presence into the sin-filled world we live in today. An avenging Angel with sword hovers above making sure the fallen couple don’t turn back. 

 

I received my formal training and formation as a Modernist. In the Modernist tradition the artist’s personal style is held as sacrosanct. For an artist of faith, this is not the case. My faith and the faith story I am telling in my work are paramount. Therefore I feel justified in using whatever style best frames the narrative and gets my “message” across. I have used most of the historic painting styles plus idiosyncratic modes which came out of church tradition like flannel-graphs, scrolls, banners, prayer shawls to name a few and often with a sense of irony.