MORSE CODEX: DEADLY SINS

95 PAINTINGS IN POLYPTYCHS

    • “Morse Codex” consists of 95 paintings rendered on round and rectangular wood panels representing the dot and dash elements of Morse Code. “Morse Codex: Deadly Sins” consists of 95 paintings “spelling” out each of the seven deadly sins in Morse Code: Sloth, Wrath, Lust, Pride, Greed, Envy, and Gluttony. Greed would be represented in Morse Code as “…. .-. .. . -..”, while the sin of envy is “.. -. …- -.-“. Painting on dot and dash painting surfaces creates a pictorial representation of the sins where the observer is “seeing” text and “reading” images.
    • The cradled wood panels measure as follows: the “dots” are 6” diameter tondos, the “dashes” are 6” x 18” rectangles, adhering to the proportions of Morse code where dashes are three times the width of dots. Painting materials are acrylic, flashe paint and ink. Shown in the work samples are Sloth, Wrath and Lust.
    • The project addresses the current chaotic and disorderly state of the world by organizing chaotic elements into methodical systems through the medium of painting. It combines one of the earliest telecommunication systems with ubiquitous biblical subject matter, creating equivalencies between the religious code of the deadly sins and the transcription of modern language. These two forms of encoding, despite dating back centuries, resonate with the current culture wars and polarized media environment, where moral codes are transmitted on digital platforms.
    • “Morse Codex” does not aim to proselytize or condemn, but rather draws attention to the age-old practice of moral policing in today’s ever-changing online sphere. It is a systematic artistic expression that examines and reflects upon the state of morality in the digital age. Each group of dots and dashes present a pictorial parable within the larger polyptych. Viewer experience is amplified because the array of paintings is simultaneously “read” and “seen.” This correlates to the observational experience provided by the Seven Deadly Sins and Four Last Things of Hieronymus Bosch which were painted as a tabletop to be walked around.
    • Morse Code has a rich history as a crucial means of communication for telegraph operators, playing a vital role in sending messages during wartime. By using Morse code, I aim to draw on themes of communication, connection, and technology. Time in residence at MacDowell would provide the gift of uninterrupted time, solitude and camaraderie with other creative artists in all genres would be very inspiring.