{Nocturne} at the Cube Gallery

Two paintings exhibited within the Nocturne show at the Cube Gallery. Night or Nocturne has been a theme throughout Western Culture strongly associated with the irrational and clandestine.

King Midas in the Garden << is based on the tragic Phrygian King who kidnapped Silenus, the famous mentor and follower of Dionysus in order to learn from him. Silenus uttered the famous line " That the best thing for man is not to be born, and if born, to die as soon as possible". Midas would live firsthand this Pessimistic philosophy, when he returns Silenus to Dionysus his reward is the ability to turn all he touched into Gold. Midas's tale is the birth of Western 'irrationalism' and pessimism - 'Be careful what you wish for'. I depicted King Midas in his Rose Garden at Night - the time most strongly associated with the irrational, and clandestine. It is a very personal piece representing a very trying time for my father whose features comprise the tragic King. The image was painted in Acrylic on prepared paper.

The Exhibition ran from May 20th to June 28th, 2009.