"“I believe that within all of us lies a certain responsibility to stay conscious of the events of our time. These paintings are a reaction to those events; all with a dose of irreverence imbued with humor. The complexities of our collective humanity, thoughts stirred by our current political, cultural or social standing all play a role.”"
"“Left of Eden” is Brennan's response to the present moment. He asserts, “I believe that within all of us lies a certain responsibility to stay conscious of the events of our time. These paintings are a reaction to those events; all with a dose of irreverence imbued with humor. The complexities of our collective humanity, thoughts stirred by our current political, cultural or social standing all play a role.”"
"The fig leaf recurs throughout the exhibition as both object and symbol. In “Swatch,” the motif is recast as a fragment of fabric, strategically obscuring the most charged detail in Brennan's reinterpretation of Gian Lorenzo Bernini's “Rape of Proserpina,” heightening the tension between revelation and restraint."
"The concept of restraint weaves throughout the exhibition. In “Speech Impediment” the lips of Michelangelo's “Aurora (Dawn)” are covered with silver paint that reads as tape over the mouth. Themes of censorship and silence are naturally brought to mind."
“Left of Eden” presents 28 oil paintings by Michael Brennan that blend narrative painting, pop art, and surrealism. The works draw from art history and contemporary visual culture while blurring boundaries between high and low, sacred and profane, canonical and comical. The series responds to current events and collective humanity, incorporating humor and irreverence. Gender and identity are central, tracing shifting definitions of masculinity and femininity back to mythic origins in the Garden of Eden. Biblical imagery from Genesis recurs, especially the fig leaf as both object and symbol. Motifs of restraint appear through obscuring details, including fabric fragments and silver paint covering lips, evoking censorship and silence.
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