Artist's Statement

This painting was a three-year journey, nurtured by years of contemplation. It transcends religion to celebrate our shared humanity

Faith, in its essence, is profoundly beautiful—the act of believing itself. Regardless of the deity one worships (with over 3,000 to choose from), or even if one subscribes to no deity at all, humanity remains the common thread. We are all inherently human, subject to the myriad emotions and experiences that define us.

In this piece, Jesus dons a yarmulke. Not as a statement of religious syncretism or to challenge established beliefs, but as a symbol of peace, tolerance, and universal human experiences—love, doubt, hope, humor, pain, and humility. All take time to develop, as it took the painter time to fine-tune the kippah. Each one of the painting's attributes (shapes, colors, themes, etc.) and details, including the meticulously arrived at kippah, embodies these themes.

All religions have their merits, provided they do not advocate violence. Similarly, atheism is a valid belief system. Whether it's the Quran, Torah, Talmud, Bible, Kabbalah, Tripitaka, Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, the “forest” or “wilderness” texts, Upanishads, or any other sacred text, each offers profound wisdom and insight. The painter has immersed himself in the study of these texts, recognizing their universal value. Nowhere is it written in the Quran that a single Muslim should harm a single Jew, or anywhere in the Torah that a single Jew shall harm a single Muslim. Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, and all other religious affiliations, welcome all the same!

This piece is not about religion; it's about humanity. It's a reminder that despite our differences, we share a common humanity that transcends borders and beliefs. From Gaza to New York, from Jerusalem to Shanghai, from Tehran to Tokyo, humanity unites us all. May science help, but itself recognize it may not be enough to channel everything human, so powerfully complex are individuals, be they from Paris to Mumbai, from Oslo to Moscow, from Buenos Aires to Rome, from Madrid to Berlin or Melbourne. 

And in the realm of art, we find a powerful expression of our shared humanity.

Nothing conceptual here—just an elaborate, if not fastidious, yet loving rendering of the Grand Prix de Monaco, Formula 1. Inspired by a photograph of the Curve of Sainte-Dévote (the author of which I unfortunately can't trace), one of the most celebrated turns alongside Mirabeau or Rascasse, in one of the most revered circuits and races in automotive history.

The painter captures the essence with vibrant colors, conveying the speed and movement that fuels his artistic passion. It's like seizing the brush as one would a racing wheel, flooring the accelerator, and diving into the fray.

The true star of the painting is Ayrton Senna, the Brazilian racing car driver who won 41 Grands Prix and the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 1988, 1990, and 1991. He died as a result of an accident while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix in Imola, Italy, driving for the Williams team. 

Many of his Brazilian fans considered Senna's death to be a national tragedy, and the government of Brazil declared three days of national mourning. Over half a million people flocked to the streets of Senna's home city of São Paulo to offer him their salute, the largest funeral procession Sao Paulo had ever seen. The pallbearers included drivers Gerhard Berger and Alain Prost.