SPACE 1 -2 : ANDREW ANKA

Exhibition dates. 6 - 18 May 2025
Opening Reception : Wed 7 May 2025, 6:00 - 8:30 pm

Part One – A Glorious Death

I have been fascinated by the legend of Spartacus since I first saw the classic 1960’s movie starring Kirk Douglas when I was a young boy. The timeless story of the Thracian warrior who was forced into slavery, then became a gladiator, then a rebel, spoke to my soul. And in my middle years, and after decades of personal struggle, his legacy has called to me across the millennia to add my voice to the fight against slavery and oppression.

The aim of this body of work was to give life to the ideologies and philosophies that motivated Spartacus and his army, and to dispel the popular culture myths that overshadow some of the deeper truths behind the legend; particularly the important relationship he had with a very powerful wife.

Part one of this two-part series focuses on the beautiful but brutal aspects of the glorious death, and touches on the timeless idea of rebirth.

The Thracians believed they were reborn on a higher level of consciousness, or they were simply brought back to the now, and A Glorious Death ends with a transition that will see Spartacus resurrected - works are in progress for part two.