The Trying

Dimensions: 18" x 24"

Medium: Mixed Media (Oil and Acrylic)

Artist Statement

The Trying is a visceral 18x24 mixed media exploration of Muhammad Ali as a modern-day martyr. Referencing the iconic 1968 "Saint Sebastian" imagery, this piece strips away the bravado of the ring to reveal the heavy toll of conviction.

The composition is built on a foundation of chaotic acrylic washes—emerald greens and fiery oranges that bleed into one another, representing the sociopolitical noise of the era. Emerging from this turbulence is the figure of Ali, rendered in sculptural oil impasto. The thickness of the paint on his boxing trunks and the weathered texture of his skin suggest a man who has become a monument through his own suffering.

The title, The Trying, reflects both the legal persecution Ali endured for his beliefs and the exhausting, beautiful human act of standing one's ground when the world is throwing arrows.