Live Bait

Live Bait is a portrait of a playwright who represents the artist’s dilemma - when creating art, is an artist talking only to himself, or others? The portrait divides the canvas in half. On one side of the playwright is a lonely and abandoned young figure. On the other side are the playwright's creations - strong, mystical, masculine and feminine figures. The fish inhabit both sides and have the symbolic resonance of spiritual rebirth. In the act of creation, all artists have to find the balance between self-indulgence (which leaves them alone and lonely) and universal truths. If the ultimate need is to feed the spirit, who is the bait, the artist himself or his creations?