Shock and Awe ~ Joshua Hagler

I recently saw an advertisement Joshua Hagler's, '72 Virgins to Die For' exhibition. His talent is absolutely undeniable. My response to the ad however was one of shock and awe. I had to look away and quickly turn the page. But, like all good art the powerful images stuck in my head. I felt compelled to turn back...to look Hagler's paintings again and again and again until I reached a level of understanding. Hagler wasn't just quietly expressing himself as so many artists do...he was shouting. And if you are religious person like me, you probably won't like his message. Hidden behind his images of death, mutation and loss of innocence there is a religious rebellion going on. But, unlike some Christians I don't believe that art should be censored. Hagler, having fallen away from beliefs that were perhaps once forced upon him, is simply seeking to find himself. He is wrangling between the world's view of purity and God's. This leads me to believe that one day he'll come full circle. No doubt, this will not be the last we've heard of him. He is an extremely gifted artist. The sort we read about in history books.

“My process is something like a stage rehearsal, a performance that seeks to imitate the subject matter on which the work comments. Painting is a way to stay near my subject matter, to cast myself as part of the mythology, to remember that I’m not separate from it, since, in fact, my religion, even if I no longer have a sense of faith, is a part of who I am.”

~ Joshua Hagler