THE OPPOSITE OF ART

A well-known artist plummets into the Harlem River after a hit-and-run driver smashes into him. He’s presumed dead for 25 years until, suddenly, a new painting by him appears. His near-death experience has given him a life-changing vision he calls “the glory.” Peter Jay Fernandez powerfully depicts a complex drama of faith, art, murder, and intrigue through the voice of the artist. Fernandez employs subtle shifts of emphasis as three people come together: the Mexican circus roustabout, the daughter the artist didn’t know he had, and the man who plans to kill them both. Fernandez’s performance of the narrative combines with rich characterizations to capture rising tension and lead to an unexpected climax. G.D.W. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2012]