The Red Door

"The Red Door" and "Behind The Red Door"

 "The Red Door" and "Behind The Red Door" are two paintings that were painted simultaneously. In fact, many of the paper palettes used in painting "The Red Door" were incorporated into "Behind The Red Door".

 "The Red Door" is symbolic of consciousness, space and time and the 'so-called'  realism of the human exterior life. It is a painting that tells the story of three generations and how they pass through space and time. This painting was painted from a 'walk-by' photo taken by the artist in Tetuan, Morocco and was rendered to the canvas unaltered. Every detail in the painting was in the photograph. 

 In the painting we see three generations of Moroccan females sitting on their porch stoop in front of a red painted door. 
 The youngest is unwrapping a piece of candy. The artist rendered her as an unfinished portrait simply because she is developing her life and 'unwrapping' her personality. Behind her is a simple line caused by an unpainted section of the door. This line represents her personal growth line, much like how we stand our kids in front of a door jamb and mark their height every year or so. 
 The young girls mother is on her left rolling a plant stem through her fingers...probably to use in weaving a basket or mat. The mother is meticulouslypainted by the artist to show that she is in the prime of her life. Behind her we see a rectangular patch of stucco that represents the completeness of her life. We see the growth line half used. There is a line that represents her marriage, one that represents her motherhood and perhaps the other represents her psychological maturity or inner growth. The point being that she is whole and in her prime.
 The young girls grandmother sits on her right. She use to be colorful, but now she has faded. She is past her prime. The aura behind her is also diminished. She is no longer whole and the lines that are left form a cross through her head implying her impending death. 

But, where there is time there is also eternity...waiting behind the door.

"Behind The Red Door" is a representation of the human interior (psychological or spiritual) aspects; things that go on beyond space and time...that is, behind the red door. This painting, like the unconscious mind, seems to have no top or bottom and can be viewed from any angle. What the viewer sees depends on the viewers personal subconscious. It is signed in all four corners for this reason.