The Subject and Power, 1988-1990

15 large drawings/paintings: each is 8 feet H x 4 - 8 feet W,  3 lithographs: Each 22” H x 30” W

Between 1988 and 1990, the landscape of international relations and cultural dynamics underwent profound shifts, inspiring me to explore the intricacies of struggle and power at both the micro and macro levels—among communities, states, and countries.

This period was marked by several pivotal worldly events. The fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 not only reunited East and West Berlin after nearly three decades but also signaled the diminishing influence of the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe, paving the way for Germany's reunification. In China, the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, advocating for democracy, were met with brutal force by the government, leading to an untold number of casualties. Meanwhile, Czechoslovakia witnessed a peaceful revolution that concluded 41 years of communist dominion, a change that echoed through Eastern Europe.

I initiated the "The Subject and Power" series, a comprehensive project aiming to capture the essence of these global upheavals. Drawing inspiration from Michel Foucault, I delved into the notion that power transcends traditional frameworks of law, sovereignty, or class struggle. Foucault argued that power encompasses everything because it originates from every corner of society. He posited that power is not solely oppressive but also generative, permeating the fabric of everyday life, shaping knowledge, discourses, and identities.