Dexter Brightman
Belgian-American artist Dexter Brightman, an avid enthusiast of all things strange, esoteric, and antique, is an elementary school teacher who studied illustration and intaglio printmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute. He is a self-taught relief printmaker who studies first-hand printed sources, focusing primarily on Italic, Germanic and Japanese woodcuts from the 15th to 17th centuries.
His fascination with early printed art, history and religions coalesce in his printmaking practice, continuing a lineage of esoteric art traditions. When illustrating and carving, he feels a profound communion with his predecessors and hopes that his work may carry these traditions of art and communication on into the future.
He is currently based out of Portland, Oregon and spends as much time as he can immersed in the wilderness of the great Pacific North West.
Artist Dexter Brightman
Woodcut print
33.5cm x 43cm including frame
“What Aileth Thee? After failing the Grail test in his callow youth, and wandering long through hardship, doubt, and inner trial, Parzival returns, no longer a naive knight, but a soul tempered by suffering and searching. Once more he stands in the presence of the Grail Maiden (Repanse de Schoye) and the stricken Fisher King (Anfortas). Where once he remained silent, bound by ignorance and formal restraint, he now dares the question born of compassion: “What ails thee?” In this act the wound of the king and the wound of the realm are met at last by awakened mercy.
The question not asked is the wound unhealed.
Parzival is a tale in which we may all find ourselves reflected, if we are honest enough to see where we stand on our own journey.”
Artist Dexter Brightman
Woodcut print
27cm x 25cm unframed, 32cm x 31cm framed