Garden of Earthly Pleasures, Opus # 6 2016

Alexander Roitburd created this evocative painting, "Garden of Earthly Pleasures, Opus # 6," with oil on canvas. The prominent ear impaled by a metallic object immediately conjures themes of auditory violation and forced listening, all set against an unsettling darkness. The ear motif transcends eras; recall the disembodied ears in Hieronymus Bosch’s visions of hell, symbols of torment and the consequences of earthly sins. Here, the ear is not merely a symbol, but a visceral representation of exposure. This imagery echoes in later works, like Van Gogh’s self-mutilation, reflecting internal strife and the pain of misunderstood genius. Such stark representation resonates with our collective memory, tapping into primal fears of violation and the loss of control. Roitburd has unlocked a powerful, subconscious connection to the ongoing tension between our inner world and external forces. This unsettling image pulls at the threads of cultural memory, revealing how the motifs of suffering and sensory violation resurface throughout art history, continuously evolving yet retaining their haunting resonance.