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Purgatorio
2003
96 x 120 in. (243.84 x 304.8 cm)
Sandow Birk (Detroit, Michigan, 1962 - ) Primary
Dante and Artistic Translation, September 11 – December 19, 2021, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
To Hell and Back: Sandow Birk’s Divine Comedy, February 18, 2012 - September 16, 2012, Historic Wing, Paul L. Davies Gallery, San José Museum of Art.
Real and HyperReal, January 30, 2010 - August 1, 2010, New Wing, First Floor, Gibson Family and Plaza Galleries, San José Museum of Art.
To Hell and Back: Sandow Birk’s Divine Comedy (2012)
Sandow Birk’s painting of Purgatorio—a place where souls must suffer to expiate their sins before advancing to heaven—is an updated version of Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s 1563 depiction of the Tower of Babel that has been re-staged in San Francisco. The Biblical story of Babel tells of humanity’s efforts to build a tower to Heaven. God was dismayed by their arrogance, and created multiple languages among the races, effectively hindering their ability to communicate. In Birk’s version of the Tower of Babel, a volcanic mountain becomes a whirl of activity: a never ending spiral of freeway systems and urban chaos. A flock of black birds flies in from the right—perhaps an omen of bad things yet to come.
Real and HyperReal (2010)
In Purgatorio, Sandow Birk interpreted the second of the three parts of Dante’s , 1308 – 21. Birk depicted purgatory—where souls go to absolve their sins before advancing to heaven—as an updated version of the Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s , 1563. The biblical story of Babel tells of humanity’s absurd efforts to build a tower to heaven. In Birk’s version of the story, humorously restaged in San Francisco, a volcanic mountain becomes a whirl of activity featuring an endless spiral of freeway systems and urban chaos.Sandow Birk’s painting of —a place where souls must suffer to expiate their sins before advancing to heaven—is an updated version of Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s 1563 depiction of the Tower of Babel that has been re-staged in San Francisco.
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by Artist (54)
Purgatorio
Painting
200396 x 120 in. (243.84 x 304.8 cm)
Sandow Birk (Detroit, Michigan, 1962 - ) Primary
Object Type: Painting
Medium and Support: Oil and acrylic on canvas
Credit Line: Gift of the Lipman Family Foundation, in honor of the San Jose Museum of Art's 35th anniversary.
Accession Number: 2004.11
Exhibition
Dante and Artistic Translation, September 11 – December 19, 2021, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
To Hell and Back: Sandow Birk’s Divine Comedy, February 18, 2012 - September 16, 2012, Historic Wing, Paul L. Davies Gallery, San José Museum of Art.
Real and HyperReal, January 30, 2010 - August 1, 2010, New Wing, First Floor, Gibson Family and Plaza Galleries, San José Museum of Art.
SJMA Label Text
To Hell and Back: Sandow Birk’s Divine Comedy (2012)
Sandow Birk’s painting of Purgatorio—a place where souls must suffer to expiate their sins before advancing to heaven—is an updated version of Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s 1563 depiction of the Tower of Babel that has been re-staged in San Francisco. The Biblical story of Babel tells of humanity’s efforts to build a tower to Heaven. God was dismayed by their arrogance, and created multiple languages among the races, effectively hindering their ability to communicate. In Birk’s version of the Tower of Babel, a volcanic mountain becomes a whirl of activity: a never ending spiral of freeway systems and urban chaos. A flock of black birds flies in from the right—perhaps an omen of bad things yet to come.
Real and HyperReal (2010)
In Purgatorio, Sandow Birk interpreted the second of the three parts of Dante’s , 1308 – 21. Birk depicted purgatory—where souls go to absolve their sins before advancing to heaven—as an updated version of the Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s , 1563. The biblical story of Babel tells of humanity’s absurd efforts to build a tower to heaven. In Birk’s version of the story, humorously restaged in San Francisco, a volcanic mountain becomes a whirl of activity featuring an endless spiral of freeway systems and urban chaos.Sandow Birk’s painting of —a place where souls must suffer to expiate their sins before advancing to heaven—is an updated version of Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s 1563 depiction of the Tower of Babel that has been re-staged in San Francisco.
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Exhibition List
This object was included in the following exhibitions: - Real and HyperReal San Jose Museum of Art , 1/30/2010 - 8/1/2010
Dimensions
- Image Dimensions: 96 x 120 in. (243.84 x 304.8 cm)
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