Ascent and Descent

This is one of my earliest oil paintings. It derives (naturally enough - I suppose) from a quick pen and ink sketchbook drawing made around 1988 while watching Czech Animator, Jan Svankmajer's, "Alice", in a movie theater in Berkeley. A young couple sitting directly in front of me was making out with such passionate ardor that it was difficult to watch the film or make the drawing.

The theme of "Ascent and Descent" is an exploration of what I imagined as "Solar Perversity". I sought to symbolize elemental forces as devouring and defecating deities.