READER SUBMISSION: "My Two Hands" by L, San Diego, paint on parchment

For most artists, physically hiding smaller creations in larger works is the trickery of the adman. Skulls lurking in ice cubes doesn’t exactly scream “high art”. Some movements however -- folk art in particular – rely on rich layers of creation which combine to tell the entire story. Such layers aren’t hidden Waldo-style, but on clear display for the viewer. So it is with mixed emotions I give you L’s “My Two Hands.” We’ve all seen the harmless handprint ad nausea and L takes full advantage of this, daring us to set aside preconceived ideas and discover the devilish nuances in his work. Why is the left hand on the right side, a la Twister? Are there six fingers on said hand? But it’s the twisted contortions of the other “left” hand that provide the most compelling proof of this young artist’s gift. Look closely. It’s not hard to see the Lincoln-log headed beast, but in a move reminiscent of MC Escher, did this beast in fact create the handprints in this piece? Incredible.