Chimera
35" x 45", ink on paper
Richard A. Kirk © 2009
This large drawing was created over the past 3 months for ART-21, a huge art fair in Cologne, Germany.
The piece is meant to be experienced as an image, as a work of art however, as an entry point into the work, consider that it is based in part on the following idea
"Śūnyatā signifies that everything one encounters in life is empty of absolute identity, permanence, or an in-dwelling 'self'. This is because everything is inter-related and mutually dependent - never wholly self-sufficient or independent. All things are in a state of constant flux where energy and information are forever flowing throughout the natural world giving rise to and themselves undergoing major transformations with the passage of time."
That is a quote from Wikipedia. In my piece, the macro and micro coexist in one simultaneous experience. There are some clues to scale but these quickly collapse under scrutiny. The Chimera itself is a reinterpretation of the idea of a chimera rather than a strict traditional representation of a Chimera. Chimeras are symbolic of catastrophe and breathe fire. In this case the Chimera breathes a life-giving fire which ignites the fecundity of nature causing an explosion of limitless form. In this, the Chimera is also Proteus which can tell the future but changes form repeatedly to avoid having to do so.
For those of you able to go, the original work will be located at the Strychnin Gallery section of the fair:
"Entering the upstairs foyer of the EXPO XXI building, you will see a brand new, site-specific installation by American artist David Hochbaum. It is called "At the Gates" and features a 3.40 meter high tower of 70 individually built houses, surrounded by 707 "flying" arrows: a spectacular sight to behold!
At the gallery booth B01 in the right-hand exhibition hall, you will be able to see amazing works by the following artists (listed here in alphabetical order):
Ansgar Noeth, Daniel van Nes, David Hochbaum, Jan Czerwinski, Madeline von Foerster, Marina Bychkova, Melissa Forman, Michael Page, Raf Veulemans, Richard Kirk, Sophie Bastien, Ver Mar, and Wee Flowers among others."
Murder in the Court of the Katydid King
Magistrates Show, Strychnin Gallery, November 13, 2009
My "Chimera" with David Hochbaum on the left and Ray Ceasar on the right
Friday 13th in Berlin! 
MACRO Rome!
I'd love to know what she is thinking!
Opening Night!
Awakening, Hellbender and Long Leggers
Iconoclast 2
The significance of showing you this lovely engraving (which I did not do) is to announce that I will be doing the cover and endpapers for a new collection of short stores by Caitlin R. Kiernan, called Ammonite Violin and Others. It will be published by Subterranean Press.
Strychnin Gallery's 2009 ART-21 Booth
Chimera
This is the cover of a new book coming out this fall, which contains some of my art. I am pleased to be in the company of so many other amazing artists.
