Razel Kapustin, Fourth Plague: Wild Beasts

The Plague paintings (of which there are ten) are among Razel's last works. Fourth Plague: Wild Beasts is disturbing in its sickly red and pink coloration, primal mark making, and dark subject matter. Space is created by the over-lapping of thick and thin layers of paint in the background, on which are placed linear tangles of white and red that form the beasts. Calligraphic marks -perhaps Hebrew -are also visible on the surface.

Kapustin struggled with depression most of her life, and her battle to become an artist took a heavy toll. With little support, she created extraordinary and powerful works, exhibiting frequently in Philadelphia and New York.