NEW YORK.- A Gathering of the Tribes Gallery is pleased to present “Madonna Series,” a multi-media installation by Chris Twomey, who re-samples a classical theme to mine history, religious tenets, and genetic identity.

Modeled after paintings of the Renaissance, Twomey uses an eclectic palette to depict a diverse group of contemporary mothers and children as 21st century icons. Through DVD, paintings, and prints, the iconography of a worldview is updated and past is joined to present through ancestry genetics. The DNA mutation numbers show our path through evolution and offer a source for our commonality and our individuality. The continuity of the human spirit is found in the relationship between mother and child, merging humanity with science to suggest a new paradigm for the idea of mortality and self.

The group of women/children Twomey has used, reiterate the idea of place and history, for they are people in Twomey’s life; people with whom Twomey has shared a personal moment in time. Each Madonna is singular in personality, but each also reflects a particular genetic Haplogroup spun off from other groups during evolution. Ghostly distortions and colorizations lead to thoughts about how we will use this genetic knowledge.

The ancient DNA number tracings conjure up profound meditations about our shared origins and the complexity of choices we must make for our future. This is Twomey’s second exhibition with TRIBES GALLERY. Chris Twomey is an artist living in New York. Awards include a Ford grant, CAPS, the Kitchen Center, and Experimental TV grant and American Film Institute Directing Internship. Since 1999, Twomey has exhibited widely in group art exhibitions around the USA and has work in the permanent collection of the Museum of New Art, Detroit, Rhizome Artbase, and other private collections. Currently, “Madonna Series: Haplogroup B” can be seen at “DIGI’ 06” at the New York Hall of Science. Prior to 1999, Twomey originated an art performance group called “Performance People” as well as worked in film/TV. Twomey attended Reed College, received a BFA with honors from Ramapo College, NJ, and MFA in “New Forms,” at Pratt Institute,NY. www.christwomey.com.