Futurity 1-6

“Futurity” is a series of six 72” x 72” digital collage on canvas.  They are based on themes inspired by the comedic parody of the French Enlightenment.  It picks up on the desperate, sly-yet-pointed humor, where if you didn’t laugh you had to cry, which ultimately led to the bloody overthrow of the French monarchy.  Flowers surround the central icons of Roman gods who play out the themes from “The Nihilist”, to “The Capitalist”.  Each piece is set in an idealized sky and is studded with an array of icons ranging from the literal to the absurd.

Peter Hassen’s work explores nature, science and spirituality through conceptual approaches to a range of media including painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography and video. His diverse but unified practice has roots in street and land art--from his early urban interventions which altered billboards and street signs, to his subversive wilderness sculpture installations and community public art projects which place objects and messages in unexpected places--exemplifying core themes relevant to the rich artistic legacy of Northern California and harken the likes of artists such as Rigo23, Paul Kos, and Robert Kinmont.  Hassen has referred to his artistic approach as “a message in a bottle” of sorts, casting out subtle gestures often hidden in plain sight as a means to delight and surprise viewers and raise questions about the fundamental aspects of humanity that unite us all. Hassen’s Futurity limited edition series acts as a kind of portable tongue-in-cheek set of talismans--rich visual landscapes that collapse time and culture to reinterpret our contemporary socio-political moment and prompt a rediscovery of our own place in the continuum of life.
--Amy Owen, Curator