Vespasian

Art by Marek Danielewski

Artist Statement on The 12 Caesars of Rome

When I see Roman Art, I immediately think of fancy banquets and excess in all forms. The classic American vision of self is that of Ancient Rome. When Americans contemplate history, Caesar resides as the pinnacle of ancient Rome. By contrast, it’s Brutus as the hero for the French and represents rebellion against the state. Writers like Gore Vidal have long referenced America’s similarities and growth towards a modern version of the Roman Empire, as Hollywood movies pour out a steady dose of sword and sandal epics for the viewing public. Despite America’s recent difficulties on the world stage that have shaken this domineering ideal, Gladiator II continues the sentiment. My work seeks to illustrate the strong link between America and Ancient Rome that the viewer can access through contemporary media. By engaging the iconic image of Caesar, I show the corruptible ideal of power and its subsequent degradation through excess that is, fundamentally, both America and the Roman Empire.

I am currently entering this work for consideration as an art gallery exhibition.

Marek Danielewski is a multi-medium artist whose work has been featured in Philadelphia, New York and Arizona. His work is housed in Manhattan’s MOMA library collection. Marek is currently working on a hybrid visual art and poetry project entitled Caesars of Rome featuring contemporary poetry from local Arizona poets.