A Strange Turn
In this group of paintings, the colors are oddly off, nearly monochromatic and veer towards the imagery and sepia glow of Golden Age children's books illustration - before quickly veering off.
Black children are featured in the bedrooms and bathrooms of what one could assume to be that of privileged white children; the the air is mysteriously filled with birds, fire and archaic flying machines: wonders of Western progress.
Taking a cue from J.R. R. Tolkien's desire to create a foundational myth for Britain in his Lord of the Rings trilogy, an idealized reality and a social reality are at play here, creating a new way to think and imagine our way through history. This series injects wonder into our conceptions of the past through the exposition of what I consider an essential truth: difficulties can be survived by drawing on the deep-rooted creative potential that is in everyone.
