Watercolor 1882

Eugene B. Cunningham rendered this untitled watercolor with a visionary's intensity; it’s a world teeming with symbols. Cunningham worked outside the mainstream art world. His works can be situated within the tradition of visionary or outsider art, where the lack of formal training brings forth unique perspectives. In his landscapes, detailed natural elements evoke themes of creation and spirituality. What is the role of nature in our understanding of the world? It's hard to ignore the symbolic weight of the American eagle, or the words “consider the lilies.” We might ask what it means to depict the natural world through a lens that is both deeply personal and culturally informed? It may be an exploration of the relationship between the individual and the environment. The artwork invites us to contemplate the deeper connections between nature, spirituality, and self-expression. How can we reconcile our understanding of the world?