Presence of the Past

"Presence of the Past" was inspired by Victor's first trip to Arizona in 2006. Here we see the ancient cliff dwellings of the Anasazi Indians.

The structures they built are all empty now, and all of the Indians have transformed into angels or spirits. The light of the spirit of the Indians (symbolized by the candle at the top right of the painting) remains in their vacant homes (wax dripping into the rooms). Life force and energy, represented by the ripe apple, is present among these remnants of the past. The Indian's life energy has not completely vanished; traces of their spirit can still be perceived by those visiting the places where they experienced the events of their lives. The stacked books symbolize all of the knowledge that they acquired during their days on earth, a record of their time here. And over all, still, the Universal Presence watches.