That Which Pushes Back is its Force

This piece is about rage. It came about through my reflection and interpretation on the significant role rage has played throughout human existence. ​Understandably rage is normally not considered virtuous or socially acceptable – but rage may also be seen as a deep expression of the will to live. I believe it is the root force that compels us to fight against injustice and oppression, and can be a significant power if properly cultivated. When transformed into the social realm, rage changes the world. So the question for me is: how do we transform our rage into something that does good? That Which Pushes Back is its Force​ renders a moment of reflection on the ​intensive ​seed within us that causes rage.​ The opening clusters of the work I felt were a metaphor for this seed, and the seed is transformed throughout the work, sometimes to a brutal end, and sometimes to an unexpectedly tender one.

Commissioned by Jim Fusik and Karl Larson