"Femme Fatale No.3"

2007
Oil on Canvas
30"x 24"

"!" - An Oil Painting of 4 Skulls

Oil on Canvas of four skulls on square backgrounds.

"Femme Fatale No.1"

2007
Oil on Canvas
24"x 16"

"Femme Fatal No.2"

2007
Oil on Canvas
24"x 16"

"Cloudbusting No.2"

2007
Oil on anvas
48"x48"

"Before Serrano"

2004
Acrylic on Canvas
40x30 inches

This painting represents Christ on the cross engulfed in an inferno, perhaps at the ninth hour when Matthew records the moment when Christ fears he has been abandoned by God. Emadi's title for the work, "Before Serrano", is a reference to controversial photographer Andres Serrano who became notorious for his 1987 exhibition of his controversial piece "Piss Christ", a red-tinged photograph of a crucifix submerged in the artist's own urine. One wonders exactly why Emadi titles this work "Before Serrano".

There are definite similarities between Serrano's and Emadi's work which both have Christ enveloped in a swirl of red, so we would understand had he entitled the work "After Serrano". By the use of "Before", we wonder at Emadi's message. He is obviously not indicating that his work predates that of Serrano's "Piss Christ" since Emadi's painting is dated 2004.

Perhaps he is drawing a comparison to the division of the Christian calendar into "Before Christ" and "After Christ" in that this signifies the end of one era and the beginning of another. Perhaps Emadi is suggesting by the title that Serrano cleaved the history of religious art when he unveiled his image of Christ in urine.

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? - Matthew 27:46, King James Version