Behind_Bars

A black frame with a red cedar inlay are the foundation of the DNAStyle visual language and form the canvas for Behind Bars, a 39”Hx30”W wall sculpture depicting the upper body of an incarcerated man. Head bent, shoulders tucked in, and a large fist grabbing the bar.

Although the red cedar suggests calmness and sensuality, tension is apparent. A prominent hand desperately clinching the bars is indicative of the rage within, and the tilt of the head connotes despair. The turmoil in the guts, born of a pain that runs deep as an actual hole is visible in place of the heart. It is as if the prisoner’s soul has been carved out of his body. Yet, amidst all of this turmoil, the bars are smooth, clean and bright. They stand in contrast to the rougher, darker background of the cedar, representing society’s preference to distance itself from what is actually transpiring on the inside.