The Last Days of the Plague

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Comment by Resident Curator on February 20, 2021 at 9:45am

Curator’s Comments:  

 

This is one of the most powerful images I’ve seen referencing the plague since entering the pandemic.  The abstract forms conjure a sinister black miasma as a biological transmitter of disease, while simultaneously attracting the viewer with aqueous veils of bright blue and yellow. The dark figure swells towards the top, appearing to grow and spread out with feathery tendrils.  The red line is also an intriguing element; providing visual contrast, and perhaps suggesting a vein or IV line of blood. The small dotted shapes, like seeds or cells, also suggest the virus without resorting to the all too familiar depictions. While pictorially ambiguous, there’s no question the dark form is the embodiment of pestilence. The painting is both horrible and surprisingly beautiful.