Innocence

A youth kicks off the ground ready for a spin on a homemade swing, a metaphor for the passing of time, like the pendulum of a clock. Back and forth, the motion represents freedom and adventure and physical exuberance. He remembers the days of his childhood with nostalgia, here represented by a lush tropical landscape. Our youth is every bit as beautiful as a Greek athlete from the Hellenistic period, but of course, he is African American. His life is only beginning to unfold. The youthful handsome boy’s body language conveys innocence and a questioning look at the gazer seems to ask “Why am I here and what will become of me?” Purple orchid petals tossed by the wind echo the theme of entropy and add the wind to the sunny atmosphere in the Garden of Eden and the innocence and freedom of youth.”