One of our favorite artists has created a new series of paintings inspired by the philosophy of the esteemed Greek thinker Plotinus. The paintings are both surreal and introspective, which is why we love them so much.
[Editor’s Note: Postindustrial previously featured the work of Pennsylvania native Sarah Jacobs, who frequently makes use of multiple mediums to create otherworldly images.]
In my life and art practice, I consider the qualities of separation and oneness. Are we existentially isolated within our separate bodies, integral parts of a collective whole that we are only obliquely aware of, or simultaneously both?
These deep-spaced paintings were inspired by the Hellenistic philosophy of Plotinus, who believed that all beings are intrinsically important pieces of a larger whole, similar to how every jigsaw piece is necessary to create the full image.
The deep skies, representing the world beyond us, are paired with specific foreground imagery, often birds, representing separate individuals. The deep and near are depicted together in overlapping layers that suggest that we are part of one system.
For example, Portrait of the Viewer as Daytime depicts the same sky repeated in different iterations of the same moment. The foreground and background merge as one, and the middle ground consists of repetitions of that same image. Look for the various repetitions of the three birds in the foreground/background and within the sky patterns in the middle ground.
My maximalist paintings express the noise, complexity, and entanglements of being alive by depicting the things that make life good in overwhelmingly entangled compositions that suggest a state of existential unease.
Be sure to check out other examples of Sarah’s latest work at sarahjacobsart.com and to learn more about her inspirations and process. Her “Portrait of the viewer” series will be featured at the Zynka Gallery in January 2026.
