In the Biblical story of “Adam and Eve,” Adam gives up his rib so God can create Eve. In essence, Adam had to become incomplete in order to be made truly whole again. I believe that, as we walk the path of life, we lose our own metaphorical “rib,” and have to search for our missing piece—the one worth sacrificing for—that will make us complete.

The painting’s subject, Initta Love, searches the multiverse for her missing piece with her “Adam and Eve” binoculars as her guide. She searches for the thread of connection that drives most living creatures—a most-precious thing that’s worth fighting for. In the bottom left, we see Little Connection Baby—bless his missing heart—who shows Initta a puzzle piece symbolizing completion in one hand, and the missing rib in the other.

The challenge Initta faces is a subtle and perilous one. For, in order to have a true connection, one must be willing to sacrifice. But love can fill one’s head with passion, making one blind to toxicity.