2July 2006
Let us continue on with catching this blog up to another look at my past and present as an artist. In the year 2000, I found myself allied with a cat from Mexico that told me I was invited to go to the desert and spend some time with a tribe of people called the Huichol. I went, I ate some cactus, I made some art, and I came home. Nothing went according to plan, but it was one of the great adventures in my life. I recently finished the last painting in this series.
I will some day post the complete story of my time in Mexico.
Artist Statement
This series was inspired by my experiences in Mexico City, San Luis Potosi, and Wadley, in Mexico’s northern desert. All relationships to the subject matter of the word Bullfight should be considered while looking at this work.
A bullfight is a theatrical form of entertainment teeming with the iconic sex and violence of human tragedy. Consider the pride of those who set the scene up and expect your automatic suspension of disbelief. The bull is well wounded before the fight. The costuming is spectacular. Two opponents move across a choreographed space. The matador will only lose if he missteps his rehearsed engagements.
This series rearranges the idea of a bullfight to allow the viewer insight to see its stage as an analogy that can be applied to current pop cultural world events; and with that insight, the ability to judge the spectacle of human tragedy.
Adam M. Considine 2006
The Bullfight 1 “Mexico a”
oil on canvas
44″ x 74″
The Bullfight 2 “Mexico b”
oil on canvas
60″ x 48″
The Bullfight 3 “Mexico c”
oil on canvas
24″ x 48″
The Bullfight 4 “The Bullfight”
oil on canvas
44″ x 74″
The Bullfight 5 “Two Opposing Feet watching orange flowers grow”
oil on canvas
74″ x 44″
The Bullfight 6 “The Bull”
oil on canvas
60″ x 36″
The Bullfight 7 “Europa and the Bull a”
oil on canvas
36″ x 36″
The Bullfight 8 “Patrons”
oil on canvas
60″ x 36″
The Bullfight 9 “The Matador a”
oil on canvas
60″ x 36″
The Bullfight 10 “The Matador b”
oil on canvas
60″ x 36″
The Bullfight 11 “The Matador c”
oil on canvas
60″ x 36″
The Bullfight 12 “Europa”
oil on canvas
48″ x 24″
The Bullfight 13 “Europa and the Bull b”
oil on canvas
48″ x 24″
The Bullfight 14 “The Rape of Europa”
oil on canvas
60″ x 48″
The Bullfight 15 “Europa and the Bull c”
oil on canvas
36″ x 60″
The Bullfight 16 “Europa and the Bull d”
oil on canvas
36″ x 60″
The Bullfight 17 “Psyche Abandoned”
oil on canvas
36″ x 60″
We are now caught up to the moment, and this moment is a fantastic time in my life. I am able to simply work on my craft and learn more about the direction I am going with my work without any distractions for the entire duration of the series. I am working on some ideas that are pure geometrical abstraction. I want to explore the ideas of pure color and form before I return to any form of representation.
I sold all of these paintings.