Roughly translated from Latin to mean “out of darkness, light,” Ex Tenebris Lux was a years-long project with three iterations. The second and third ones are shown here.
I created the first one during a period of personal darkness, and it felt ironic that I was making something in the colors of sky and sun. The second one (left) is a larger version of the original. (It was purchased by a MacArthur “genius” grant recipient.) The third one was created in a state of personal joy but in the midst of darkness: police killed Eric Garner at the time.
Ex Tenebris Lux is the idea that in the midst of a despair-inducing, dark, or tragic event, a light eventually emerges. It may be the tiniest of glimmers, or bright enough for the world to notice. Either way, its existence is something of a miracle. That light might look like dragging one step into another day. Or it may look like gathering in remembrance, or to protest injustices in critical mass.
Finally, Ex Tenebris Lux is also the name of a song written by Rob Flax, who drew inspiration from this series.