Elpis

Marc Burckhardt. On first glance, Marc Burckhardt’s paintings appear to have been handed down through generations, their aged appearance and rustic aesthetic building on the themes and genres of the Northern Renaissance. His imagery is rich with symbolism, which draws its potency from a lexicon of classic symbology, whose meaning and strength have developed over centuries. While Burckhardt’s technique and visual aesthetic are rooted in tradition, the subject matter and themes he explores are very much of the 21st century, and this is the key ingredient which lends his images much of their power. By way of the familiarity of a historic aesthetic, he presents current events, beliefs, and questions through a wider historical lens and with a distinct timelessness; all the while encouraging us to contemplate our contemporary world with a fresh perspective. In approaching the theme of this initiative, Burckhardt says, “Any vision of the future has to be built on an awareness of our past—both our successes and our failures—and requires the effort of those with the means to create change as well as those who will inherit that responsibility.”