No one escapes decay. The manner, the rate, the form, the agents of decay, and its variables are all not constant. Decay may be altered, hastened, slowed down. Until it comes and in the final form it comes in, those in the arena: the fighters, the onlookers, controllers of fate and of the elements, may all participate—actively, aggressively, or even in passivity.

Triumph and loss, the extent of damage, or the prize, if any, may be subjectively determined by any of the players. Decay is uncertain, inconstant, unconstrained, and inevitable.

Seven painters, seven souls seeking truth—speak on this battle versus decay; on identifying, facing, and overcoming the enemy. The seven follow in the footsteps of more senior Social Realist artists born of a different yet relatable milieu. The senior artists were bound not by a homogenous style or palette, but by a common belief in the relevance and purpose they served.  

To distinguish their generation, the seven are forming an arsenal, a collective repertoire of imagery and iconography, a common vocabulary of “protest,” and inventory of issues, global, local societal struggles, inner conflicts, and personal demons. May they find no restraint in articulating their unique message, and may they remember that their voice and vision become stronger when they are together.  

–@eabrina