Mahler writes “I use the format of history painting, normally associated with the heroic and eternal, to depict quotidian subjects. […] I’m attempting to conjure a dramatic presence from a scene that might be experienced on a daily basis. Most recently, the themes of these paintings have veered toward domestic subject matter, focusing on parenthood and its various experiences.” When the Titans were defeated by the Olympians, Zeus condemned Atlas to hold up the celestial heavens for all eternity. Being a parent can sometimes feel that way – Mahler gives us the defeated dad, condemned to support the family and hold up the burdens of domestic life.
