Living on a Prayer

"Living on a Prayer"

Approximate Size: 19x24-inch

Newly created masterpiece on 2-19-2026.

Black ink on street canvas (cardboard).

For sale.

Short Description
A haloed figure rises heavenward while below, a gravestone marks “RIP Stinky 1976–2016,” surrounded by creatures great and small paying their respects. Living on a Prayer blends humor, mortality, and redemption into a single unforgettable image.

Artistic Review
This work unfolds in two distinct yet interconnected realms: ascension above, remembrance below. The upper register presents the protagonist reclining on a cloud, halo intact, caught mid-gesture as if still negotiating his fate. Beneath him, the earthly plane is animated with life—animals, insects, and organic forms converging around the grave, transforming death into ecosystem and continuity. The composition uses simple horizontal division to create a powerful metaphysical contrast, while the bold, economical linework keeps the imagery direct and emotionally accessible.

Critique
What elevates this piece is its tonal complexity. It refuses solemnity without dismissing gravity. The humor softens the existential theme, but the symbolic structure—halo, gravestone, procession of creatures—carries genuine weight. The cardboard’s creases and wear deepen the narrative, reinforcing the passage of time and impermanence. Rather than presenting death as an end, the artist frames it as transition—both spiritual and ecological. This is fine art that merges satire and sincerity, confronting mortality with wit, imagination, and unexpected tenderness.

Original drawing on reclaimed cardboard. Signed by the artist.