“Reworking familiar imagery is just my way of giving history a second look.” – Jesse Mockrin
Only Sound Remains – oil on linen
Based in Philadelphia, this artist examines Renaissance and Baroque artists’ art, with an eye on the survival of traditional narratives and beliefs in contemporary society. She then intervenes with her own modern canon.
Jesse Mockrin’s paintings “respond to histories of sexual violence and cruel treatment of women over millennia of myth and story, offering interventions and moments of resistance.”
Collectively, the paintings in ECHO highlight “an ongoing battle for bodily autonomy”.
The above painting is based on the Greek and Roman myth of Echo and Hera.
By Her Hand – oil on linen
The biblical widow and heroine, Judith, beheads Assyrian General Holofernes and saves her people. This was a popular subject for artists in the 15 & 1600’s due to the “stark contrast between Judith’s femininity and the aggression of her violence.”
Behold/Beholden – oil on linen
Mockrin builds up thin glazes of oil paint, a European Renaissance developed technique. “she crops her composition sharply, hiding critical elements of a story and leaving conflict unresolved.”
Unvarnished, her paintings have an eerie flatness.
In mid-stream – oil on canvas
“Grasping, pulling, lifting …. I am drawn to the ways that Baroque painters build drama and tension into their compositions.”Jesse Mockrin
Based on Ruben’s The Massacre of the Innocents, the woman in the right panel is based on one of the mothers protecting her children.
Painted circa 1610, The Massacre of the Innocents resides in the AGO’s collection. The photo on the left is an allowable share from the AGO. Click on the image to visit the page, and a larger version of the masterpiece..
In the Book of Genesis – Rachel and Leah were both married to Jacob.
Leah had many children. After many years of yearning to be a mother, Rachel had 2 sons. She died giving birth to the second child.
Longing – oil on linen
Lovesick – oil on linen
A cry is heard – oil on linen
“It’s very emotional and very real, her longing for a child and then her tragic death as a result of it.”
“We think we’re not that similar to these characters, but they were just people, same as us.” – Jesse Mockrin
What a beautiful and hectic city Toronto is. You feel it in the slideshow!
And they picked the best bird to name their Baseball team after.
Hey, look! It’s a José Bautista mural!
José Bautista
2008 – 2017
Famous for “The Bat Flip” Bautista was a 6 time all-star, with 288 homers across 10 seasons with Toronto. Click on the pic below to read what the CBC has to say!
He rejoined the Blue Jays on August 11, 2023 for 1 day and retired a Blue Jay.
Commissioned by The Toronto Blue Jays, Bautista attended the unveiling of this massive mural with his family.
You can see its gargantuaness in the pic to the left, by comparing to the teeny people in the lower right corner.
He even signed it, in gold paint!
This was not an easy mural to capture. Still, after I found a way over the fence and into the construction site, I shot lots, and got some good ones. A few more are in the slideshow.
This close up of a coach makes me laugh. Can you see why?
Bautista, one of the Blue Jay’s Gems!
“We must be painted on a time travel garage door.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I see Cito Gaston!”
Cito Gaston
Gaston was the Blue Jays coach when Joe Carter hit the winning home run in the 1993 World Series. The Blue Jays won the title for 2 years in a row. (1992 & 1993) I always say they kept it for a 3rd year in 1994. That was the year of the big baseball strike, and there was noWorld Series.
My wings are waving the Jays on to victory, and my tail shows I’m a fan!
Walking along Queen Street, through a door thrown open to the world, this appeared on a wall.
Looking in, I asked & was granted permission to photograph it for my blog.
The yellowness on 1 side is due to an incandescent light bulb.
Magically, the woman transcends into a wolf.
Love
Are indigenous women allowed to wear the headdress?
Times Are Changing
Tammy Cook-Searson, chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, received her headdress as a gift from the community.
Derek Nepinak, Grand Chief of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs says: “At some point, indigenous people need to sit down and have a discussion about the headdress, and have that discussion openly, under the light of day, amongst all of our people,”
Click on Tammy Cook-Searson’s image to read the full CBC article.
A wall behind had another wonderful image.
Pics taken by Resa – August 25, 2025
Toronto, Canada
The artist: Upon inquiry, I was told “One of the guys that works here.”
The colours pierced my side vision from a half block away.
I should have known, even before I got to the door that it was painted by…
…tattoo artist extraordinaire, The Half Decent.
Just another piece of alley art I had to TEAR myself away from.
In real life, it appears black, white, red and silver. The pics weren’t capturing this, so I tried a slower shutter speed, which made the rest too, dark. Below is the comparison.
Normal shutter speed on the left. Slowest I can get on iPhone on the right.
Pano setting created a bluish overtone.
Pics taken by Resa – September 21, 2025
Toronto, Canada
The Artist:
The above fab song, Tattoo, was exhilaratingly performed by Loreen at 2023’s GNTM (Germany’s Next Top Model). Of the 5 finalists presented here, who do you think won?
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