Anarchy Divine 

Dave Macdowell’s "Anarchy Divine" is a visual maelstrom of images, likely painted towards the end of the 20th century. It confronts viewers with a phantasmagoria that seems to capture the anxieties of its time. The piece situates itself within the swirling currents of postmodernism, where traditional boundaries between high and low culture blur. Macdowell’s work seems to revel in the chaos of contemporary experience, melding religious iconography with symbols of consumer culture, like the seductive sweetness of desserts. What does it mean to position a figure resembling Jesus amidst such cacophony? Is it a critique of the commodification of religion? Or a reflection of a deeper spiritual yearning within a society saturated with materialism? The gendered depictions of devils and angels further complicate the narrative, challenging conventional representations and inviting us to question the power dynamics embedded within these archetypes. “Anarchy Divine” becomes a mirror reflecting both the divine and the profane, urging us to confront the multifaceted nature of our desires and fears.