A man of two nations, my heart riven by opposing traditions and points of view, I understand as others may not the conflict, fear, and rancor splitting apart our world. These divisions are not abstract to me; they are not safely at a distant; awareness of them screams within me, and is expressed in my work.

My recent portraits speak to the forces of hatred tearing our world asunder. They speak to the suffering of those caught in circumstances beyond their control and the helplessness of those who bear witness. Painted on canvas, these paintings depict the frightening, chaotic and confusing emotions threatening to overwhelm those who allow themselves to feel.

My figures scream into the void, yes, but they are not static. They swoon and sweep and struggle. They move through space with surprising grace. They are not empty. They are not frozen. They call out to others. They struggle to survive.

These painting express my response to the political and human tragedies of our time. The list does not stop there. I hope viewers will engage with my portraits personally—through me, I hope they will recognize themselves, and also, recognize the other. To enlarge empathy is all we as artists can hope to do, all we can do. It is nothing and yet it is everything.