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What we see in this series, apart from the beautifully recognizable style of TM Givens, is the constricting space of pandemic-era living. Compared to his "Garden Prayers" series and the recent Coffee Shop drawings, whose fluid lines and outward observations express a sense of openness and connection, these drawing convey the isolation and claustrophobic feelings we experienced during those difficult times. The lines are darker and more erratic, the shading is aggressive, the focus is razor-sharp and singular. The addition of writing around each drawing creates a thick boundary that encases the artwork in an uneasy narrative. The words are descriptive, the observations mainly hopeful, the frustration real and persistent.
Following these pieces are letters handwritten by Givens to both of his deceased parents. The letters home are not dramatic but contain, in fact, the news of the day - the noteworthy and the not, secrets unknown to them about their son confessed here with a simple "Here is something you didn't know about me." There is something deeply moving in this act. Maybe the knowledge that those that are gone, are still so near to us. That while we are still near, we have so much to discuss and ponder.
