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| "Petitioning Papa Legba at the Crossroads", 18" x 24", acrylic, 2018 |
About this painting: Legendary blues man Robert Johnson is said to have "made a deal with the Devil at the crossroads". Turns out, the "devil" is actually a voodoo/African spirit, Legba-- often known as "Papa Legba". Also, the crossroads is not so much a literal physical location; rather, it is the crossroads between the physical and spiritual world. This painting is inspired by this blues mythology
This scene is in the rural south of the USA. Highway 61 is known as "The Blues Highway", and the crossroads of the legend are said to be on this road, specifically at the intersection of 61 and 49 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Other roads also make this claim, but 61 has kind of won out. The crow holds a tarot card-- The Devil-- a nod to the "deal with the devil". The lizard probably means something too, but I just added it mainly to balance out the crow in terms of the composition of the picture.
On the left, carrying a guitar, is a blues man who wants to be "the next Robert Johnson". He is attired in festive Mardi Gras apparel. He has in his arm a pint of Bacardi rum, as a gift for Papa Legba.
The central figure of course, is Papa Legba. Legba is often seen walking with a crutch, smoking a pipe, and is frequently followed by a dog. He also often wears a straw hat, but in this case, I had something else in mind. His powers are represented by the bolts of energy shooting from his fingers.
On the right is a southern redneck/greaser dude, who is also a voodoo practitioner. Note the "mojo hand" (mojo bag) tied around his neck. The hand on the gearshift, his "vehicle", and the 8-ball tattoo are all a nod to the great Ed "Big Daddy" Roth, creator of many legendary custom cars in the 60s; also one of the originators of "weirdo art" and a forefather of what has come to be known as "lowbrow art" or "pop surrealism".
Prints of this painting are available on my website.
