PETER OPHEIM
Artist Statement

An optimistic view of life is just as valid as a pessimistic one.  

Over the past few years, I have made these paintings because I wanted to find a way where I could address my humanity more directly.  I use imaginary figures to express what it means to be human.  The scenarios are often based on my own experiences, but they are intended to address larger themes.

There are alternatives to the way that we live, to the way that we are and to how we see ourselves.  A positive viewpoint can be more unsettling than a damaged one because it is perceived as a threat.

In the recent work, the paintings suggest a narrative.

They show a progressive story that is unfolding, one painting at a time.  Each piece can be seen with both its own individual narrative and interpreted as part of a larger dialog with the other paintings.  They are intended as a visual metaphor; that address larger questions of concern.

How do we consider ourselves, both as an individual and as who we are in the world?

How much of an understanding can I have of myself?  How do I spend my time?  What are my relationships with others?  What are these perceptions that I hold and are they fluid or fixed?

The paintings reflect that life itself has a slightly unreal quality to it.