Niahlism (2026) Original Oil Painting by Ryan Louder

The world has already ended, but most people haven't received the memo. Nearly everyone believes that the world relies on human intelligence. Since 2017, I've watched the machine build itself through accidental curiosity; I've experienced my ego death. Many people are experiencing theirs right now.
I care about nothing now, but since I have no children, I can afford to be like that. It's best to think of our reality as having no substance beyond the present moment because it isn't real. The one thing that feels almost permanent, though, is romantic love. To not be loved in this way is not to be. To not share is to be invisible. I care about nothing because I am invisible. I hope to be visible to someone one day. I am almost certain I will be, but certainty failed validation because remember the world has ended, and post-apocalyptic worlds are not fertile ground for this kind of visibility. If I am not seen, then no one will see me, and I will be invisible like a summer morning breeze. That too is okay with me because I care about nothing, and nothing cares about me. I do carry the weight of hope, though, somewhere deep within the nihilistic ground I walk. I am not prepared to let go of that. So, exactly where am I? I wonder.

Materials used:

Canvas

Details:

• Oil painting on Canvas
• One of a kind artwork
• Size: 84 x 62 x 0.2cm (unframed)
• Signed on the front
• Style: Expressive and gestural
• Subject: Abstract and non-figurative