Et In Arcadia, Ego is a phrase that’s always captured my imagination; it crops up in my daily life every so often, to remind me of my own mortality – and to motivate me to make art.

The first recorded usage was in the painting below by Guercino. Last year, I was surprised to find it inscribed on a concrete sculpture by Manfred May, a local artist whose work I admire:

Et in Arcadia, Ego: Guercino

Et in Arcadia, Ego: Manfred May

I’m fascinated by the concept of Arcadia as a liminal place, and the persistence of hard limits on human existence. Life is short; creation is essential.