The Hand That Feed hero (SM)

Comment

Comment by Resident Curator on August 26, 2018 at 10:29pm

Curator’s Comments:

The scale of this piece The Hand that Feed(s) took me by surprise, as I had admired and commented on your other drawings some time ago.  When noted, it appeared those drawings were created on a true to life scale, or significantly larger.  However, the more static nature of the figures may have quieted the impact of their actual size. The narrative aspect of this piece is arresting in both subject and content, along with the sheer physical comparison next to (presumably) you, the artist.  The dramatic force of horizontal directionality emphasizes the violence of the gun.  I find it slightly paradoxical the graphite drawing required a methodical and determined approach in its creation, and yet the image itself depicts a raw and forceful gesture.  I also enjoy the delicate tattooing on the hand, which echoes the fine etching on the barrel of the weapon.  There’s a strong relationship between the two forms, combining the shooter and handgun in the mind and eye of the viewer. Contemplating the title of the work, one considers the duality and irony of the old idiom about one biting their provider. The addition of “hero” in the title notation further joins the work to unnerving associations. There is a timelessness to this work that belies the urgency to its contemporary and topical relevance.