June 25, 2013

"Purity of Heart" triptych : Latest mural project in Denmark












Here are some shots of my second mural project in Aalborg, Denmark, titled "Purity of Heart". The title of this triptych comes from the popular book by Søren Kierkegaard, Purity of Heart Is to Will One Thing.

"A Providence watches over each man’s wandering through life. It provides him with two guides. The one calls him forward. The other calls him back. They are, however, not in opposition to each other, these two guides, nor do they leave the wanderer standing there in doubt, confused by the double call. Rather the two are in eternal understanding with each other. For the one beckons forward to the Good, the other calls man back from evil. Nor are they blind guides. Just for that reason there are two of them. For in order to make the journey secure, they must look both forward and backward."

This was commissioned by Martin Nielsen, who recently renovated this century old orphanage. The murals face a large assisted living facility, and every day I painted I felt an extra sense of obligation to my elderly audience to make something beautiful. I also wanted to paint a powerful, dignified portrait of my friend Dame's father Fabian, who has been battling cancer for years.
Painting this was an amazing experience. Many thanks to the Nielsen family and Galerie Wolfsen for making this happen. Thanks also, once again, to Ari & Lone for all their help. Thanks to Lacheln & Fabian for posing, and to everyone else that showed support.


June 14, 2013

"Our Lady of Aalborg" : New Mural in Denmark









Here are shots of a mural I just painted in Aalborg, Denmark while there for my solo show at Galerie Wolfsen. The mural is titled "Our Lady of Aalborg". It's across the street from the maternity ward of Aalborg University Hospital, so an iconic symbol of motherly love seemed appropriate for this location. Painting this was complicated by unpredictable weather and rain, but it was a great experience. Painting three stories up in a lift while it's raining isn't so bad, at least in retrospect. Many thanks to Rasmus and Kent of Galerie Wolfsen for making this mural possible. Thanks also to my brother from another mother Ari Bracamonte for providing ground support for the entire process. Thanks also to Bri Acsani for modeling, Lone Allen for her help, and everyone else that showed support.