Pictorial History: 2016-24

Mehrbach Pictorial History:
2016 - 2024
This nine-year period marks a deep dive into abstract art, a journey bookended by my earlier and later figurative work. Within this time, I developed my hallmark three-dimensional abstractions—a continuous exploration of creating the illusion of depth on a flat, two-dimensional surface. Mehrbach's evolving relationship with abstraction is evident in the titling of his paintings. Early in this period, his works had simple titles, which encouraged viewers to form their own interpretations. Over time, the titles became more complex and often included literary quotes. Yet, in the final works of this period, he returned to using simple titles, once again prompting the viewer to decide the meaning of the art themselves.

"2016 No.1", oil on canvas

"2016 No.14", oil on canvas

"2016 No.18", oil on canvas, 76x56 inches

"2017 No.2", oil on canvas

"2017 No.10", oil on canvas

"2017 No.13", oil on canvas

"2017 No.14", oil on canvas

"Catch 22", oil on canvas, 40x46 inches {"If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to." -from the novel, "Catch 22"}, 2018

"Burnt Norton", oil on canvas, 63x66 inches {"What might have been is an abstraction; Remaining a perpetual possibility; Only in a world of speculation. What might have been and what has been point to one end, which is always present. Footfalls echo in the memory." -T.S. Eliot, "Burnt Norton"}, 2018

"The Doctrine of Liberty", oil on canvas, 66x59.5 inches {"I believe there is a golden thread which alone gives meaning to the political history of the West, from Marathon to Alamein, from Solon to Winston Churchill and after. This I chose to call the doctrine of liberty under the law." -Anthony Sampson, "The Changing Anatomy of Britain", 1982}, 2019

"How's It Gonna End", oil on canvas, 59x31.5 inches {"Life is sweet at the edge of a razor; And down in the front row of an old picture show the old man is asleep as the credits start to roll. And I want to know, the same thing everyone wants to know, how's it going to end?" -Tom Waits}, 2019

"Clever Liars", oil on canvas, 56½x47½ inches {"Clever liars give details, but the cleverest don't!" - anonymous}, 2020

"Amidst a Falling World", oil on canvas, 66¼x57¼ inches {"Should the whole frame of nature around him break, In ruin and confusion hurled, He, unconcerned, would hear the mighty crack, And stand secure amidst a falling world." - Horace (65-8BC), "Odes", book 3, no.4, I.52)}, 2020

"Stubborn & Egotistical", oil on canvas, 64½x55 inches {"If we've learned anything from the best-selling 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' children's book series, it's that those who see themselves surrounded by idiots are usually idiots themselves." -Jakob Augstein, "Stubborn and Egotistical" (Spiegel Online, 3/25/2013)}, 2020