American artist Titus Kaphar paints gorgeous pieces that remind me of my Art History text books… which he then he cuts up and rearranges into modern masterpieces that tell an entirely new story. I am in awe of this work, and this perfect explanation:

“I’ve always been fascinated by history: art history, American history, world history, individual history – how history is written, recorded, distorted, exploited, reimagined, and understood.  In my work I explore the materiality of reconstructive history.  I paint and I sculpt, often borrowing from the historical canon, and then alter the work in some way.  I cut, crumple, shroud, shred, stitch, tar, twist, bind, erase, break, tear, and turn the paintings and sculptures I create, reconfiguring them into works that nod to hidden narratives and begin to reveal unspoken truths about the nature of history.  Open areas become active absences, walls enter into the portraits, stretcher bars are exposed, and structures that are typically invisible underneath, behind, or inside the canvas are laid bare, revealing the interiors of the work.  In so doing, my aim is to perform what I critique, to reveal something of what has been lost, and to investigate the power of a rewritten history.”

Mission accomplished.