All 15,693 lines of Homer's Iliad are hand-scribed in this series of works on paper. Each painting contains an entire book or chapter based on Richmond Lattimore's translation. These are not illustrations, nor are they manuscripts, but through acute attention to the narrative, the handwriting process becomes an integral part of each piece, echoing the essence of the action.
Interestingly, the word "epic" is from "epos", the spoken word, the "winged word" of the poems.
It is not tied down by anything or anyone. Think of an epic not as a noun but rather as a verb or adjective describing action, a slice of unfolding motion between two arbitrary points, which is exactly what these paintings are about, the PROCESS. In this "process" the words actively change into simple markings that build up into imagery using layers (and forms) as authorized by the words themselves.
Homer, living perhaps sometime in the 8th century B.C., was a poet at the end of a centuries-old tradition of orally-composed epic poetry. Originally the Iliad was sung to the accompaniment of the lyre, and only written down in the 6th century. Nearly three millennia later, this work has been translated into a multitude of languages, changing ever slightly each time.
This body of work is a new translation - a literal, visual one.
The Iliad series began in July 2001 and was completed in November 2003. During its creation, many significant world events unfolded before us often mirroring the Greek epic, and validating the notion that (our unfolding) history is in fact cyclical and that the Iliad is still a contemporary piece of work.
"The gods in the Iliad represent projections of feelings or activities of the observed world." (2)
The characters often speak to their inner selves as I have done, making split decisions during each movement.
Power, Fear, Hatred, Envy, Compassion, Honor, Humility, Sleep, and Death are all personified.
While working on this series - constant questions arose:
Has mankind changed since this work was created? What have we learned from our past? Why war?
Is it really over a woman, gold, land, power, oil? or does humankind simply need a reason to battle?
Is this really about a Greek or Trojan conflict or is it about a deeply ingrained human condition?
(1-2) Lattimore

This sereis has been exhibited at:
2003   MPG Contemporary, ‘Ilium’ -The Iliad – Another Translation', Boston, MA
2004   Providence City Hall, ‘The Iliad Series/Works on Paper’, Providence, RI
2005   Guilford College, (Solo), ‘Homer’s Iliad- A Visual Translation’, Greensboro, NC 
          University of Rhode Island, (Solo),'The Iliad - A Visual Translation', Kingston, RI 

Iliad Series Exhibition Review-   Click here to read the Spotlight Review in Art New England June/July 2006 issue 
Iliad Series Exhibition Review- Boston Globe, Dec. 12th, 2003