3rd Level 2017

David Michael Hinnebusch made "3rd Level" with a kind of raw energy and directness that just grabs you. The colors are bold, primary, laid down with visible brushstrokes. It's like he's not trying to hide the process, you know? There’s a real physicality to the paint—thick in some spots, thin in others, almost like he was sculpting with it. I keep coming back to that blue rectangle dominating the right side. It’s heavy, dark, but with those vibrant blues peeking through, suggesting some kind of hidden depth or turmoil. And then there’s that figure, vulnerable, standing bare, almost childlike next to this chaotic energy, and the words "Never Did Nothing Before". Maybe Hinnebusch is speaking about his own creative process, or maybe it's about how we all try to make sense of this crazy world. Either way, it reminds me a bit of Basquiat, that same kind of raw, unfiltered expression. To me, it’s a reminder that art isn’t about answers, it’s about keeping the conversation going.