At Night I Dream of Mariupol

2022, oil on canvas, 78 x 66 inches

At Night I Dream of Mariupol is a dreamscape that builds upon concepts explored in my Force Field paintings, especially that of our interconnectedness. However, here the object reflecting is an emergency blanket, and what should be the viewer’s reflection is that of images from the recent invasion of Ukraine, my past mandala paintings, my own reflection (bias) and environment. In the history of painting, as particularly seen in Dutch Baroque still lifes, a mirror or one’s reflection represented the true image of the soul – truth, self assurance, vanity or self-distortion.

The layers of meaning here are intentional, and also include the repetitive cruciforms, references to vulnerability (in materiality of the blanket) and the silver and gold clothing and backgrounds in Orthodox icons.