Title: Fatherhood

Series:The Georgia Portfolio (Circa 2018–2023)

Status: Historical Record

Medium: Acrylic, Spray Paint, and Ink on Wood Panel

Size: 48" x 42" / 122cm x 106cm

“This piece is a reflection on my own journey as a father. It depicts a quiet, yet heavy moment of transition: me and my eldest child walking a pet mandrill. In my practice, the mandrill represents the raw, volatile energy of the world we inhabit.

As a father, I often find myself navigating the tension between protection and preparation. I wanted to capture that specific responsibility of teaching my child not just to avoid danger, but to navigate through it. It is an inquiry into what it means to guide a new life through an urban landscape that is as beautiful as it is precarious.

I chose to execute this work on a 48×42inch architectural wood panel to ground the subject matter in something permanent and structural. This piece was a cornerstone of my studio practice in Macon, Georgia, and was among the primary works lost during the 2023 trailer heist. While the physical panel is currently missing from the archive, the lesson of the work—finding stability in a volatile world—remains the foundation of my current practice.”

-Daniel Montoute