Portals to new places and new ways of being..

Author Neil Howe refers to our current era of upheaval as a fourth turning in his books The Fourth Turning and The Fourth Turning Is Here. A fourth turning is a period lasting approximately 20 years, which occurs every 80-100 years. The last century's 4th turning began with the financial crisis of 1929 and ended with the end of World War 2 in 1945.

The current fourth turning started in 2008 during the financial crisis. Howe predicts the current fourth turning will end in the mid 2030's, making this a longer-than-usual fourth turning.

The scholar, sociologist, and historian Ibn Khaldun was one of the first people to observe the cyclical nature of history and influenced Howe's work.

One of the key characteristics of this 4th Turing is the unlearning of the lies and untruths we grew up with. Others would refer to it as veils that are being removed or layers of bullshit that are being uncovered. From an artist's point of view, I conceptualize it as people opening doors that were once closed or stepping through portals into a new reality. 

That new reality may leave you sickened and curled up in a ball, or it may be exciting and hopeful, or both, at the same time, or something in between.

I've observed that this unlearning began seriously around 2020 and covers topics such as modern medicine, foreign policy (Palestine and beyond), consciousness research, non-human intelligence, ancient human history, and parapsychology. 

Most horrifically, this unlearning is happening right now about the Epstein class. If someone has limitless wealth, believes there is no God, and expects no moral reckoning beyond this life, what incentive do they have to live morally, especially when they know they can act without consequence? And how do we continue to exist in the same world as they do? Palestinians in Gaza have already paid that price.

If you have been reading about any of the previously mentioned topics and have had awakenings that rocked your world, congratulations, you've just stepped through a portal! Walking through portals is deeply painful and also transformative.

I am captivated by the ancient Nabataean architecture of Petra in Jordan and Mada'in Saleh in Saudi Arabia, and have begun a painting series using this architecture to convey the concept of people stepping through portals. Portals can be a metaphor for any of the above topics or just about individual personal transformation.

What portals have you stepped through?

The first is a small 8" x 8" study for a larger painting. The medium is acrylic paint and copper on wood. It is available for sale.

Contact me if you are interested.