Big Baby is F. Scott Hess' enormous new depiction of himself as a grinning man-child, diapered and spreadeagled on a blue blanket decorated with nursery animals. It marks a milestone in his remarkable career. Twice life-size in scale, it is Hess' first painting after his completion of a four-year-long mural project at the B'nai Jehudah synagogue, located in a suburb of Kansas City, Kansas. Hess was commissioned to paint two "pods" of images to wrap around the walls beneath gentle arches of windows above two large meeting rooms. The first pod was a narrative series showing the history of the synagogue's construction and the community that supported it, and the second was a series of images from the Tanakh-the Jewish Old Testament.
Hess was an unusual choice for the project. "Not being a religious person, it is a little odd," he laughs. "I had always wanted to do the Sistine Chapel, but I realized that as a non-believer I wasn't going to get a commission for anything like that..." He began the project delighted to follow in the footsteps of the great masters of the RenaissanceMichelangelo, Vasari and Raphael, and spent three months creating a spectacular series of sketches of the first pod of murals for approval, cleverly connecting the events of each panel to the next in a loop of narrative.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
FULL EXPOSURE
Photographer Conor Martin documents the present using photographic methods of the past.
Autumnal Light
The landscapes and nature scenes of painter Jennifer Sowders are irresistibly tactile, filled with varying textures that seem to leap off the canvas.
Art for All
Members of Art Dealers Association of America come together for a philanthropic affair.
Modern Marketplace
Redwood Art Group brings together the San Diego region for another class-act celebration of contemporary artwork.
An Enchanting Evening
Scottsdale Artists’ School knows how to throw an art party.
Timeless Tales
Soft, warm undertones underscore the mood of enchantment that runs through Nom Kinnear King’s paintings.
Next Exit New York
Coming off his series that focused on San Francisco and Los Angeles freeway signs, artist Eric Nash’s sights are now set on New York. Now on view at George Billis Gallery's Manhattan location are seven of Nash's new oil paintings and two drawings that explore the signage of New York City freeways. Although Nash's work is tightly rendered, he doesn’t consider himself a photorealist, but rather someone who utilizes those techniques to express ideas.
Monster Mash
Vampires, witches, ghouls and all things that go bump in the night are the theme of the exhibition Monster Mash, now at Abend Gallery.
Inside/Outside
Those familiar with Geoffrey Johnson's populated by inky figures and trailing shadows that bleed into the wet streets, and architectural elements obscured to varying degrees by the misty atmosphere.
Bold Figures; Bold Color
For Brooklyn based painter J Louis, it’s all about balance, which can mean many different things in a composition, but for Louis, it’s about balancing his female figures among a unique landscape of color.
