2024, Acrylic on canvas
46 x 40 x 8 inches In the Middle of a Nightmare explores the vulnerability of innocence in the presence of trauma, violence, and upheaval. A painted teddy bear, associated with childhood comfort and safety, is echoed by a nearly colorless three-dimensional teddy bear constructed from canvas and attached above the painted surface. Floating like a ghost or apparition, it can be read as the painted image materializing into physical reality, crossing from dream, memory, or nightmare into the viewer’s space. A loose section of canvas, painted to resemble a pink baby blanket, partially covers the composition, revealing a corner of deep darkness and a fragment of landscape filled with smoke and fire. Faint red fingerprints continue across the front and sides, becoming visible through closer looking and changing viewpoints. Painted and physical forms, fragmented surfaces, concealment, and partial revelation create an unstable space where comfort and threat, dream and reality, coexist.
Central to this series is the portrayal of mundane objects that carry concealed narratives or stories, hinting at deeper, possibly unsettling layers beneath their seemingly ordinary facades. The use of these ordinary elements invites viewers to unravel the hidden complexities and reflect on the fragility inherent in both life and our environment.
