Eleventh Hour

Eleventh Hour is a pivotal piece in Hieb’s practice. This work kickstarted her exploration into using found materials, particularly found wood and her affinity for uniquely shaped grounds to paint on. Eleventh Hour is a double sided painting depicting twin self portraits.

One side, shows a stoic face, largely expressionless, perhaps lost in thought. Adorned with symbols tied to the artist’s Mayan heritage, we see a head of corn in an expansive field, the sun hanging low in the sky. Above her head, a portion of a clock indicates a sense of urgency - time is running out. Behind her, a double-headed emerald snake wraps and curls around her, a nod to Quetzalcoatl, a deity associated with intelligence and creation.

On the back side, a head emerges from a mound of dirt with a strained expression. An attempt to escape circumstances bigger than herself. Two setting moons and three rising stars adorn the background as a thick braid of hair lays atop the composition akin to a heavy rope.