Beyond The Limits: The Midnight Meat Train Art- #7

Clive Barker’s The Midnight Meat Train is truly a horrific story. I had similar incident like Clive Barker did on subway once in Atlanta, Georgia’s underground subway system. Strangely this was the same place they would shoot the some of the deleted opening from John Carpenter’s Escape From New York.

Which brings me to Clive Barker’s Midnight Meat Train Art- #7. This particular piece is all about the art of murder and the soullessness that it comes with. I’ve always thought of Mahogany as “Jack the Ripper” and this image it shows him in all his Jack the Ripper glory. The skinless bodies, the exposed ribs, and the scarlet blood on the killer’s apron create a monster that takes pleasure in what he’s doing. Everything seems to have been carefully planned and carried out in a delicate manner. There’s blood but nothing that makes it look like a rush job. It’s more than just about murder but about a man taking pride in his craft.

Red is also a very powerful color here and it’s very seductive in the way Barker uses it to pull viewer into the image. Red has never looked so beautiful in such a display of horror. But only Barker could make that happen. And the beautifully cold and lifeless stare from Mahogany shows how he values human life. We’re cattle, nothing more.

But what I really enjoy about this painting is how it makes you feel like you’ve just walked in upon this horrible scene by accident. Could you be the next victim of Mahogany’s nightly passions? Or is this an artist simply capturing the madness of murder? As I’ve stated in previous articles, Barker never lets the story end. Personally, I feel like the next victim and that leaves me with a shudder going down my spine.

Once again we love to hear from our listeners, so let us know what you think about this painting?