Thomas Cruz - Beasts of Old

About

“Beasts of Old” is an analogy through art to demonstrate that we're still immersed in this natural world. We can always see back into human prehistory and acknowledge the wisdom of animals, which is far more important than feeling ourselves separate from nature.

Symbolism is an important element in my work, used in hopes of making people think about their connection and criticism of the historical representations of aspects of nature we've lost as we strive to become the modern Homo sapiens. The symbolism of the skulls that appear in much of my work is meant to represent our own heads, not a separate thing. Being an animal is the penacle of being a human being. We still have the concept of our natural environment as a challenge to be conquered, but in reality we cannot avoid remaining a part of it. We've created an environment that makes us feel separate, but holding your own skull means you have not just the knowledge but also the responsibility to remain an integral part of it.