Genesis The Clothing of Adam and Eve 2014

Joe Machine made this painting, *Genesis The Clothing of Adam and Eve*, at an unknown date, with I don’t know what, maybe acrylic. It’s like he's trying to figure out how to tell a story that's been told a million times before. It’s a bit wonky in its execution, in the same way that folk art has its own type of logic. I like how Adam and Eve stand there, all shame-faced, holding their leaves, while a priestly figure in blue robes oversees the scene. I wonder what Machine was thinking about when he made this. I suspect he wanted to bring his own perspective to this well-known religious narrative. The figures aren't idealized; they have a rawness that makes them feel more human. The tiny flowers and snake on a cross make me think of outsider art, as well as other painters like Paula Rego, with her unsettling takes on classic stories. In fact, all painting is kind of a conversation through time, where artists talk to each other through their work.