Animality present in humanity

Rage
Oil Pastel on paper
20 x 26"
2006

Although this image freaks most people out, it was one of the most satisfying drawings that I've ever produced. It was satisfying because it effectively conveys bestial qualities of extreme levels of anger, that is, rage. Of course, it's rare for a person to manifest their anger to the degree that their face would appear this demonic. But doesn't rage feel like a possession? By possession I mean the instance in which one's reason is abducted and replaced by passion-- in this case a diabolical, violent passion.

Born a nervous child, I often threw violent temper tantrums. I remember how my mother would warn me during outbursts: "¡pareces un demonio!" or "you're acting like a demon!" I'm better now.

What is interesting to me is that none of us has ever actually seen a demon. We just have an idea of what a demon would look like. Prototypes and symbols are based off of experience, in this case, what we see and feel when we experience disharmony within ourselves. I believe that that idea of a demon is an image that was created by observing humans in the midst of "losing it." When I focus on the word demonic, I am going beyond Satanic, malicious implications-- those are obvious. I'm concentrating on the human capacity to participate in the absence of reason, the welcoming of an inner disorder. Man is distinct from beast in his use of reason. Becoming angry to the point of "losing" reason is rage. Rage indicates an embracing of chaos and turbulence--a loss of balance and composure. Only negation of reason would permit that. Because of this, rage is bestial--inhumane. Interestingly, it's extremely present in human emotion.

If you don't think this is what anger looks like, try watching a kid get angry. With no desire to moderate emotions, kids exemplify human primitivity!

Drawing for print
Permanent marker on mylar
17 x 23"
2006

This is a picture of the 3 levels of what would become a lithograph version of the drawing, Rage. Actually, I had to re-dot the blue level because blue does not absorb light as well as it should. When burning the image onto the photo-sensitive positive plate, almost none of the dots burned. I had to go back with a red Sharpie, which, by the way, is the best color besides black to draw these types of images out. There is also a black level and a solid background level. I'd say that all together it took me 20 hours to prepare these drawings.

Rage
Lithograph
17 x 23"
2007

I'm happy. I don't usually find good use for backgrounds. I think they are distracting. I feel the same way about titles. In this case, however, the background played in important role in serving as a representation of the boundary between reason and passion. Since I believe that man is transported into a realm of disorder when enraged, I thought it would be appropriate to depict the face physically emerging through a wall.

This one took 20 cumulative hours. I experienced major issues with the solid layer. I worked with fairly loose ink-- the viscosity was where it was supposed to be. Despite that, I was seeing lap marks, or annoying lines on the paper that mark where the roller starts and stops. I ended up using a roller with a large diameter--a good 8-10". With that, all problems were solved. I went from doing 5 drops to just a double drop.