A series of 12 diptychs that representing an evolution from Athens as the centre of the civilized world to the modern conflicts in the “global village” of today
A decade in the making, Jeffrey A’Hearn’s 'Pantheon of the Gods' is a breathtakingly expansive body of work in talent, time, scale and scope.
Applying incredible artistic ability, a life well lived, and a formal education in the classics*, and with over a quarter of a century of international travel, Jeffrey has artfully bridged the representation of classical Gods and that of a miscellany of cultural and racial figures of our modern global village.
*University of Toronto - Major: English and Drama, Minor: Classical Literature and Japanese Language; George Brown College - diploma in Graphic Design
Classical male Gods make up this stunning composition of 12 diptychs. From young boy, to old man, to the transgender God Narcissus, a myriad of universal aspects are featured in this house of the Gods: spectrums of the seasons, times of day, weather conditions, geographical locations and human emotions.
Perhaps most obvious in this series is how it is executed: the diptychs delve into—and reflect—the 20th century exploration of the two different sides of our brain: thoughts, motor skills, and the tension within the human psyche are reflected on either side of the face.
The viewer is drawn feelingly into the eyes (alternatively, some paintings entreat one to contemplate at a distance), while a painting-within-the-painting emerges, providing the viewer with further insight into the background of the myth, or into the character of that particular God. A detailed examination of each piece is required to appreciate the amount of research, thought and labour that went into this comprehensive series; in particular, three of the diptychs stack like a ‘totem’, a style that gives thought to what it means to be a 'Canadian artist'. The totality of which is a worthy exploration of the diverse international issues of this age.
- Nora Camps, Art representative
Applying incredible artistic ability, a life well lived, and a formal education in the classics*, and with over a quarter of a century of international travel, Jeffrey has artfully bridged the representation of classical Gods and that of a miscellany of cultural and racial figures of our modern global village.
*University of Toronto - Major: English and Drama, Minor: Classical Literature and Japanese Language; George Brown College - diploma in Graphic Design
Classical male Gods make up this stunning composition of 12 diptychs. From young boy, to old man, to the transgender God Narcissus, a myriad of universal aspects are featured in this house of the Gods: spectrums of the seasons, times of day, weather conditions, geographical locations and human emotions.
Perhaps most obvious in this series is how it is executed: the diptychs delve into—and reflect—the 20th century exploration of the two different sides of our brain: thoughts, motor skills, and the tension within the human psyche are reflected on either side of the face.
The viewer is drawn feelingly into the eyes (alternatively, some paintings entreat one to contemplate at a distance), while a painting-within-the-painting emerges, providing the viewer with further insight into the background of the myth, or into the character of that particular God. A detailed examination of each piece is required to appreciate the amount of research, thought and labour that went into this comprehensive series; in particular, three of the diptychs stack like a ‘totem’, a style that gives thought to what it means to be a 'Canadian artist'. The totality of which is a worthy exploration of the diverse international issues of this age.
- Nora Camps, Art representative
© Copyright 2016 Jeffrey A’Hearn
