apotheosis of breeds.

I was inspired to paint this series shortly after the sacrifice of many animals as a result of the devastating spread of disease in European livestock. I wanted to portray a kind of “animal consciousness” that our contemporary society has forgotten. The so called “farm production” breeds, particularly in the Midwest, represent a large part of the heartland’s economy. Nearly all of us consume these animals in some part. The domestic breeds have a long history dating back to the cave paintings of Altamira and Laseaux. I was fortunate to witness the intensity of these beautiful and mysterious images in Spain.

​

Joseph Campbell, who spent his life researching cultural tendencies throughout the world, noted about the relationship of the animals to society, “Earlier civilizations maintained a ritualized respect for the animals that supplied the basics for survival. The animals to be consumed had a status that today is lost and has little meaning in our society.”

 

There are nine separate canvases individually sized to portray a single animal in either profile or frontal display. A predella (an old-world device representing small scenes at the bottom of the canvas) contains a series of silhouettes of the animal. The center contains a diagrammatic illustration of the animal. The intent is to present a personification of this illustration. The individual portraits are scaled to size and have an intended chimerical presence. Each breed has a magical presence that seems to transcend the ordinary. These are not about documentation but affirmation of a spiritual connection all sentient beings share. The finished nine pieces should be presented as one unit in the manner of a polyptic.