Ex Libris 

Michael Parkes created this work, entitled 'Ex Libris', using paint on a square canvas. The composition consists of a monumental stack of books, upon which perch two figures immersed in reading. The color palette is subdued, tending towards warm earth tones and soft blues, creating a dreamlike, ethereal atmosphere. Parkes' meticulous detail and smooth finish lend the piece a surreal, polished quality. The tower of books serves as both a physical foundation and a symbolic structure, suggesting the accumulation of knowledge and the weight of tradition. The presence of the winged creature alongside the woman destabilizes the conventional notions of reality, inviting us to consider the blurring of boundaries between the mundane and the fantastical. Each element contributes to a broader exploration of knowledge, myth, and the boundless possibilities of the imagination. The painting compels us to contemplate how we construct our understanding of the world, not only through reason but through imagination and wonder.