Contemporary artist Martin Wittfooth presents a powerful exploration of nature's enduring cycles through his latest collection of large-scale oil paintings, which blend traditional European painting techniques with urgent environmental themes. His new solo exhibition, "Deus Ex Terra," opened at Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles, featuring 19 new oil paintings that celebrate the sublime forces of the natural world through atmospheric depictions of glowing, powerful creatures.
The exhibition showcases works of varying scales, from intimate circular paintings called tondos measuring 18 to 24 inches in diameter to massive compositions like "Duel," a diptych spanning an impressive 12 feet in width. Wittfooth's paintings are executed on canvas, linen, and wood panels, demonstrating his mastery of traditional oil painting techniques while addressing contemporary concerns about humanity's impact on the environment.
Central to Wittfooth's artistic vision are recurring images of stallions that serve as embodiments of elemental forces. In works such as "Aspect of Fire" and "Aspect of Air," he presents silhouettes of powerful horses composed of molten rock or clouds of steam, rearing up into towering, majestic positions that convey the raw power of natural elements. These dramatic compositions illustrate the artist's ability to transform familiar creatures into symbols of nature's fundamental forces.
The exhibition's title, "Deus Ex Terra," translates to "god out of the earth" and serves as a thoughtful reference to the ancient Greek and Roman theatrical device "deus ex machina." While the original phrase described the introduction of a divine character via mechanical crane to resolve seemingly impossible plot conflicts, Wittfooth reimagines this concept by turning to nature itself as the source of resolution and renewal. He explores the earth's elemental forces—weather patterns, planetary orbits, seasonal changes, life cycles, and water—as cyclical, self-sustaining rhythms that offer hope and healing.
According to the gallery, Wittfooth's work is guided by the Hermetic principle "As above, so below; As within, so without," a maxim that has influenced centuries of philosophical, mystical, and artistic exploration. This ancient wisdom illuminates how nature repeats its patterns across different scales and timeframes, from the branching structures found in both rivers and leaf veins to the spiral formations visible in galaxies and seashells, and from the cyclical progression of seasons to the rhythmic patterns of breathing and heartbeats.
The artist's current work represents a significant evolution from his earlier pieces, which focused more directly on the strained relationship between humans and nature, often depicting environmental destruction through images of plastic waste or clearcut forests. In "Deus Ex Terra," Wittfooth shifts his attention to nature's instinctive and enduring qualities—those ancient rhythms that persist despite human interference and cultural upheaval. The gallery notes that these paintings serve as "an invitation to acknowledge, to remember, and perhaps to heal" during our current period of deep ecological and cultural crisis.
Among the notable works in the exhibition are seasonal pieces including "Aspect of Summer," "Aspect of Spring," "Aspect of Winter," and "Aspect of Autumn," each measuring between 46 and 64 inches and painted on canvas. The "Parallelism" series features circular compositions on wood, including "Parallelism 5 (Jellyfish 1)" at 24 inches in diameter and "Parallelism 4 (Snail)" at 18 inches in diameter, demonstrating Wittfooth's interest in natural forms and their mathematical relationships.
"Deus Ex Terra" continues through October 4 at Corey Helford Gallery in Los Angeles, offering visitors an opportunity to experience Wittfooth's atmospheric and enigmatic vision firsthand. The artist's work can be further explored through his official website and Instagram account, where additional examples of his environmental artistry and technical mastery are displayed.
