Painting Time Lapse-Artist Michael Carini

Astranomelly-Acrylic on Canvas (78” x 120”)

“Astranomelly” was the culminating piece of my artist residency at Alexander Salazar Fine Art in Downtown San Diego. During the months of April/May (2012) I spent 50 days painting on Broadway Avenue, generally averaging 10-12 hours per session and never taking a single day off. Basically living in the studio as I found myself on the precipice of homelessness, this climactic creation measures 6.5’ x 10’ and is representative of my collective experiences as “The Boy In The Box.” The culture shock of the residency experience made this both an artistic opportunity and a sociological experiment as I found myself imbued with the regionalism of this foreign community and was indoctrinated into their culture. The individuals that visited and shared their stories during my tenure in the box were all incorporated into the painting, their names inscribed in the underpainting that surrounds the iconic vortex (or black hole) that is simultaneously a symbol of the outward eyes looking in at me as I poured my soul into the canvas. The concept and name for the painting came to me on a car ride home at 3:30am while I listened to the music and examined the album cover of local musician Astra Kelly.

“The Boy In The Box” has broken free. Thank you for sharing the journey-

Music Track: Battling The Sun (Astra Kelly)

(Source: youtube.com)