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3rd Version (Ben Patterson)
"Masks We Wear, Everybody Wants A Piece" – Painting, Surreal Cowboy with Emu

2024

$5,000
£3,797.62
€4,367.96
CA$6,985.98
A$7,790.16
CHF 4,064.57
MX$95,588.18
NOK 51,735.53
SEK 49,018.29
DKK 32,599.71
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About the Item

"Masks We Wear, Everybody Wants A Piece" is a 2024 acrylic and oil painting on canvas by 3rd Version (Ben Patterson), measuring 48 x 36 x 2.5 inches, with a framed size of 50 x 38 inches. The work is unframed but ready to hang. A large-headed, wide-mouthed character sits astride a rainbow-plumed emu adorned with antlers and a leather eye mask. The rider’s open head is filled with seed and tiny birds, each picking away at the contents like thoughts in motion. Set against a soft gradient sky and dense forest floor, the composition is surreal, layered, and symbolic. A sheriff star on the rider’s shirt, a red cape, and cowboy boots suggest a mythic hero or misguided explorer. Below the emu, a small green birdhouse dangles like a tethered idea or memory. The bird's feathers shift in tone from gold to violet, grounded in striking red legs and oversized claws. This work blends narrative absurdity with emotional truth. The contrast between stylized characters and painterly depth reinforces themes of mental fragmentation, performance, and surrender. "Masks We Wear, Everybody Wants A Piece" is an emblematic piece of visual storytelling, bold in scale and rich in metaphor.
  • Creator:
    3rd Version (Ben Patterson)
  • Creation Year:
    2024
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 48 in (121.92 cm)Width: 36 in (91.44 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Denver, CO
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1308214518622

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