In Upon Leaving the Body, Gregory Kitterle crafts a surreal and meditative scene, utilizing fresco on panel to enhance the tactile and worn quality of the surface. The central figure appears to be resting, draped in shadows, while scattered objects—glass vessels and books—catch glimmers of light. A golden headpiece stands out, symbolizing a possible transition from the physical realm. In the foreground, concentric ripples suggest movement through water, reinforcing the theme of departure or transcendence. The fresco medium lends a raw, eroded texture, evoking a sense of time and transformation.
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In Upon Leaving the Body, Gregory Kitterle crafts a surreal and meditative scene, utilizing fresco on panel to enhance the tactile and worn quality of the surface. The central figure appears to be resting, draped in shadows, while scattered objects—glass vessels and books—catch glimmers of light. A golden headpiece stands out, symbolizing a possible transition from the physical realm. In the foreground, concentric ripples suggest movement through water, reinforcing the theme of departure or transcendence. The fresco medium lends a raw, eroded texture, evoking a sense of time and transformation.
The rippling water in the foreground introduces a subtle tension, as though the viewer is witnessing the aftermath of something passing through or being released, tying back to the title’s reference to leaving the body. The objects surrounding the figure feel like relics of a past life, perhaps tools or symbols of a previous existence. Kitterle’s play with light and shadow, combined with the worn textures of the fresco, creates a narrative about transition—whether spiritual or physical—offering a contemplative take on the moment of departure from the material world.
Kitterle’s focus on surface irregularities, through the fresco technique, elevates the metaphysical aspect of the work. The imperfections on the canvas, much like cracks in a façade, reinforce the fragility and impermanence of the body, echoing the universal human experience of life and death. The circular ripples may even represent the continuing cycle of existence, suggesting that what departs also leaves its lasting mark in the universe.