Joshua Hagler

Joshua Hagler's personal experiences with religious belief and indoctrination inform not only the subject of his paintings but his entire approach to them as well. He paints with a kind of frenzied ecstatic energy that crosses back and forth between representation and abstraction, detail and gesture. As he says in his artist statement, he "intentionally...obscures common conceptions of myth and reality as diametrically opposed, a strategy borrowed from religion itself." The results are a kaleidoscopic onslaught that hints at madness, the kind of madness that might be hell on earth, or the insightful madness of the mystic bringing revelation to our own blind sanity.

He has also created a few installation pieces, and started experimenting with 3-D modeling, and digital printing combined with traditional paint for some interesting results. If I prefer the oil paintings to the rest, I readily acknowledge that it may have more to do with my own conservative prejudices than anything else. I have no doubts whatsoever that here is an extraordinary artist with some disturbing and important things to say.

Mr. Hagler is based in San Francisco, and his work can be seen in person there at Frey Norris Gallery or in New York City at Reaves Gallery.
To look at most of his work online however, go to his website:  www.joshuahagler.com

And as usual, be sure to click on the images to view them larger!

 "Beit Lehem"  96" x 60"  2008

"Descent Into The Wilderness"  77" x 96"  oil on canvas  2009

"Golgotha"  72" x 108" oil on canvas  2008

"Return To The Garden" 16" x 20"  oil on canvas  2010

Thanks to www.escapeintolife.com for bringing this art to my attention