Kingdom of Ends 2009

Bo Bartlett, born in 1955, painted Kingdom of Ends with oil on canvas. Oil paint is itself a fascinating material, ground pigment suspended in oil. The artist deploys it here to masterful illusionistic effect. Note how the brushstrokes, though present, are blended to create a smooth surface, almost like polished glass. This finish enhances the monumental presence of the figures, a man and a child, posed before a giant skeletal globe. What are we to make of this image? Well, the globe itself is not ‘made’ but rather represented, using the mimetic capabilities of oil paint. It symbolizes global interconnectivity, but also perhaps the looming threat of an abstract, inhuman future. The work might invite us to consider how industrial materials and processes shape our world, and the responsibility we have to guide future generations through it. Ultimately, Kingdom of Ends demonstrates how a traditional medium like oil paint can still powerfully address contemporary concerns, blurring the lines between observation and commentary.