"Hope : Between Earth and Heaven" Surrealist Acrylic on Canvas by Eugene Hawkins

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In the "Fantasy/Metaphysical" series by American artist Eugene Hawkins, the convergence of surrealism and metaphysics unfolds as an exploration of … Read more In the "Fantasy/Metaphysical" series by American artist Eugene Hawkins, the convergence of surrealism and metaphysics unfolds as an exploration of existential themes common to all. Creation materializes evidence of immortality. This concept of immortality signifies the persistence of our essence long after the end of physical existence, constructing artworks as a timeless continuum in the systematic progression of ephemeral human epochs.

In this painting from the 60s, the ever-changing sky serves as a metaphor for impermanence, echoing the flux of human consciousness caught in the duality of its existence. The intensity of light and colors could certify a rapprochement with the sun and, therefore, a distance from the Earth. A figure in the foreground emerges, beginning his journey dressed in everyday attire. The ground he treads upon resembles a night illuminated by the moon's rays. The surroundings are desert, swept of all structures. He is about to cross a door, perhaps that of a city in ruins.

One of the initial thoughts is about transformation and passage from one world to another, from one state to another, from life to death. While he follows another character throughout this process, there is an underlying optimism, a belief in the possibility of growth and redemption. They are two passing through these arches. The nostalgic atmosphere suggests a journey through the stages of existence, each door symbolizing a pivotal moment in life. Acknowledging the unassailable truth of man's mortal condition, yet continuing to place it with the immortality of an absolute in which it alone can find meaning. And where our soul would return to its birthplace.

An idea of an airlock, of what happens between two doors, a before and an after, with its infinite possibilities, of a path that remains to be traversed to achieve deliverance whereby all ties to the cycle of rebirth would be severed.
Birds soar above the first arch, evoking a sense of guardianship over the ethereal space. As if protecting against any desire to escape, they guide these two silhouettes back to the source.

In this work, Hawkins invites us to contemplate the cyclical nature of existence, where each moment holds the potential for renewal and transformation. He crafts a narrative transcending temporal constraints, offering insight into the eternal quest for meaning and liberation.

Eugene Hawkins is an American artist who was born in 1933 See less