The Good Hour
2020
Tin Metal, Clock, LED Neon, Paint, Gesso
15" x 11" x 2"
Stamper Collection
The painting on a tin metal panel is entitled The Good Hour, a reference to the last hour of a person's life. The artwork is inspired by the tumultuous times we are experiencing, from the pandemic, racial injustices, and immigration issues, to the loss of natural resources, and climate change. The piece is a functioning clock with an LED neon light that reminds the viewer that time is ticking and that the "good hour" is fast approaching.
In the center of the piece is Death, with her skull crown and cloak ready to cover everything, including the viewer. Below her, to her left, is an African American bleeding profusely, a victim of police brutality. To her right, a mother and child refugee who have succumbed to Death while being held in inhumane conditions. At the bottom of the panel, lying supine and wearing a mask, is a victim of COVID. Flora and fauna, in the form of flowers, a crane with fish, and a cat, proliferate the background while Death's cloak covers all, a reminder that nature is also threatened by climate change and man-made disasters.