← James Esber

James Esber

“Alpha Bravo,” 2010, acrylic on canvas, 55 x 66.25 inches

James Esber’s painting of a well-armed U.S. soldier relies on the military phonetic alphabet (“Alpha,” “Bravo,” “Charlie,” “Delta,” “Echo” etc.) and can be read from top to bottom, left to right, or through the center of the piece. The words are contained within the thin contour of the soldier’s body, creating another kind of form and space where muscle and bone should exist.