Humans in the Garden of Eden

oil on birch panel

The fusion of divine creation and evolutionary science in a triptych painting using contemporary figures to help us see ourselves at the beginning of human existence. Land, sky, and water are interchangeable depending on their relationships to the figures. The Garden of Eden is the planet Earth.

Left: An African indigenous couple is blended in a lush grassy landscape representing the first human ancestors.

Center: Semi-transparent figures mingle with monkeys, signaling the gradual emergence of humans from other primates.

Right: Adam and Eve appear in this panel honoring Lucas Cranach the Elder, a 16th-century Renaissance painter. A large monkey occupies the center position, bridging the gap between mythological and biological origins. Throughout the triptych, red cardinals recur as symbols of hope and transformation, linking the panels into a unified narrative.