iron john

Inspired by the book “Iron John: A Book about Men” by Robert Bly which discusses the deeper message behind the Brothers Grimm fairy tale ‘Iron John’ as it relates to initiation into manhood and the challenge the modern man faces on this rite of passage. The novel dives into the physical appearance of Iron John as a “Wild Man” who lives beneath a pond. Masters, with his quick spontaneous strokes, depicts the primal and wild “hair” of Iron John with facial features obscured by the blue water, while also noting a flair of pink in the calm orange space in the top left corner, resembling the feminine nature that resides in men as well. The bareness of the eyeball and teeth reminds the viewer of the spiritual and ancestral roots that the “Iron John” in them poses beneath their surface as well.