Ask Now the Beasts

Ask Now the Beasts derives its title from the Biblical text of Job. The symbolism in these frames conjure ideas of the cyclical nature of the earth in relation to the concept of the harvest.

Ask Now the Beasts weaves together art historical, literary and biblical references to create Tara Sellios’s vision of an apocalyptic world. Sellios’s highly detailed still life photographs capture the beauty of the grotesque as skeletons fly, insects swarm, and dried flowers dance. The photographs of Ask Now the Beasts are contemporary allegories of suffering and transcendence which share the Apocalypse as their metaphorical foundation. Through allusions to a variety of sources and her unique materials, Sellios deploys both dark humor and empathy in her poignant observations about the human condition and the complexities of religious extremism.

The exhibition and the series title, Ask Now the Beasts is derived from the biblical Book of Job (Job 12:7) but draws equally from the Book of Revelation. Combining poetry and prose, the Book of Revelation is known for its vivid imagery including a metaphorical grape harvest reaped by angels. Previously, Sellios’s work has focused on elaborate banquets and bloody excess. Ask Now the Beasts presents the moment when the feast is over—the wine has dried up and the flesh has turned to dust.

Sellios is fascinated by art historical representations of the end of the world, particularly the bizarre and otherworldly imagery of artists like Hieronymus Bosch and Albrecht Dürer. Sellios also draws from 17th-century still life painting, specifically Dutch vanitas paintings. Catholic imagery is also a rich source of inspiration for Sellios, particularly its dramatic lighting, seductive surfaces, and contorted gestures which are all present in Ask Now the Beasts. Additionally, Sellios engages with the history of allegorical paintings. Like her historical precedents, Sellios delights in detail and complex symbolism.