Spirit Catcher 3000
Thou religious fervor is all the rage these days, that will not always be the case. Religious extremism will take its toll and the pendulum will swing back. This painting represents a time when people are searching for their own path to a unique spirituality. It's also an attempt by people via technology to have their soul live on once their mortal tissue has failed.

Imagine, at the precise moment of death, being able to capture the escaping spirit. Is it possible? Many cultures have thought it so. Assuming it is possible, it's extremely interesting to think of the ramifications... Grandma's soul sucked up into a party balloon suspended over the dinner table during the holidays??

Spirit Catcher 3000 poses a simplistic method to capture the spirit. I have immediately taken this solution and cheapened it via inevitable mass-commercialization.

Grieving and then Renewal
The following detail view shows the initial process; grieving. It's difficult to see in the full image but this detail view is located on the right side of the painting.

Grief must be respected and this may seem a bit unsettling at first, but ... what if?

A celebration, a renewal of the spirit! Imagine the celebration. A rebirth of the soul. A new beginning. This detail view is taken from the left side of the painting.

It's Pergatory, Damn You!
The other side of the arguement might be that this would be an unnatural distruption of the whole earthly cycle of life. The need for the spirit to recombine with the basic elements of the planet, to transend, engage, and enlighten at a molecular level. This may very well be a prison sentence for the soul or self-damning pergatory.

Art as a Conversation Piece
In my mind, this painting is the spark for endless discussions in any number of directions. It's not art for the sake of art or beauty. It's entertainment, it's amusement, and it's meant to engage us all in reflection.