"Purgatory of
the Fallen Angels"
Oil, 30" x 24", 2001
We all know what
Purgatory is, it’s where you go if you’ve done some bad things in life and
aren’t getting a free ticket into heaven. Basically, you are put on trial
to find out if you are going to heaven or hell. Purgatory of the Fallen
Angels (fallen angels are demons or Satan’s minions) is the trial that
determines your place in hell. The top part of the painting represents
heaven and life (mitochondria and chromosomes) and continues down to the
skulls (five “judges” of hell) and then eventually into hell itself.
Jesus is standing by as you descend into the depths of hell and a written
statement from the saints in heaven is symbolizing what is happening to
you.
The Skulls:
The 5 skulls
represent 5 judges from hell; they are determining your fate in hell.
From left to right, here are the descriptions for the skulls and their
hidden message in parenthesis:
1.
Neanderthal skull of “The Old Man of La Chapelle-aux-Saints” (Gluttony).
2.
Robust Home Erectus from Java (Greed).
3.
Robust archaic Homo Sapien (Sloth, Lust, Wrath).
4.
Side shot of a robust archaic Home Sapien (Envy).
5.
Australopithecus (Pride).
Of course, I have
dramatically changed the appearance by adding thorns and other things.
Check out the eyes on the robust archaic Home Sapien and see if you can
find the hidden symbol.
First sphere on the
left:
This is my
version of “The Shroud of Turin.” This depicts Jesus and symbolizes his
beliefs and his love for humanity. He’s bearing witness as you descend
into hell. See if you can tell what used to be behind his face.
Second sphere on the
right:
This is an
ancient scroll that I wrote an original scripture on. The words are as
follows:
“We, the Canonized and Venerated sons of our Father, Jesus Christ, have
hereby damned you to the Purgatory of the Fallen Angels. A demon of
avarice will determine your fate and your place in this land of physical
anguish for impenitent souls. May God have mercy on your soul.”
Mitochondria and
Chromosomes:
Mitochondrion is
a microorganism that lives within human cells. Critical for production of
energy within living things, mitochondrion has its own genetic code and
the ability to evolve and multiply. That’s why I chose this as the
“heaven” part…because it’s pure energy and contains unique life that can
evolve.
Chromosomes
undergoing division. These chromosomes are throughout the painting. The
top part contains black ones and in the middle of the painting are shaded
white ones. Chromosomes contain Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), which is the
blueprint of all life.
The Background:
The background
was made using a series of different things. First I painted several
hundred small
squares of various different colors. Then I used the top part of an old
sock to mix and create texture. Then I used a waterbed adapter to create
the yellow circles. If you look close enough you can tell that around the
skulls are several thousand yellow and red dots.
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Giclee Prints
Copyright © Joe
Bartz 2006