Robin Cole
Ladder to the Stars, 24 x 18 Oil Painting
2023

Name: Ladder to the Stars, 24 x 18 Oil Painting
Brand: Robin Cole
Price: 3900 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Discover the ethereal beauty of Robin Cole’s “Ladder to the Stars,” a 2023 original oil on panel masterpiece measuring 24 x 18 inches. The framed dimensions add a grandeur presence at 27.5 x 21.5 inches, offering a piece that makes a sophisticated and contemplative statement in any collection. Cole's artistry transports the viewer into a dreamscape where the natural world and cosmic allure intertwine. The solitary fish, a symbol of resilience and flow, is depicted ascending towards a constellation that mirrors the fish’s bony structure, evoking the timeless quest for universal connection. The velvety darkness of the background juxtaposed with the luminous celestial bodies creates a breathtaking contrast, a hallmark of the artist’s technique. Offered directly from the artist’s studio, "Ladder to the Stars" is a testament to Cole's ability to navigate the realms of the realistic and the metaphorical. This work would resonate deeply with collectors who are drawn to pieces that not only depict a scene but also tell a story that transcends the tangible world. Artist Statement 'Ladder to the Stars' The title of this painting echoes the vision that came unbidden one day in a meditative dream-state as I prepared for birth: a DNA-like ladder of evolution, appearing to me as the spine of an immense fish, climbing from fathomless depths up through the complexity of biology and consciousness, and ultimately beyond. There is a hypothesis in evolutionary biology stating, “ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny,” meaning that the development of an individual organism (ontogeny) reflects or repeats the evolutionary development of its species (phylogeny). There is something mesmerizing about this idea as an expecting mother, watching curiously on an app as the tiny illustrations of the little life inside progresses from a group of cells, to a grub with a bundle of nerves, to a tiny sea creature complete with tail and paddle-like limbs, to something familiarly human. Surely this must be what we looked like when we first crawled from the sea, so many eons ago. It is fascinating to ponder the similar parallels between the psychological development of the individual and the progression of mind over the course of our species, from early primates to philosophers. I found these ideas rather difficult to capture in paint. So I re-imagined them here, where a bit of magical realism accompanies the bones of this prehistoric fish in his primordial sea of constellated stars and vast, evolutionary potential. - Robin Cole

Creator:

Robin Cole

Creation Year:

2023

Dimensions:

Height: 24 in (60.96 cm)Width: 18 in (45.72 cm)

Medium:

Oil

Movement & Style:

Realist

Period:

2010-