Monsoon’s paintings stage a direct—even uncomfortable—encounter between the viewer and his gnarled figures. Though drawn fully from the artist’s imagination, Monsoon’s figures seem to have a rich narrative and psychology of their own. The texture of their lives is revealed in every inch of their distorted features, perhaps especially in their hands and the faceted wrinkles that surround their unblinking eyes. If it is easy to imagine their difficult circumstances, it is equally clear that they have weathered them and survived. These are not portraits of hopelessness or misery, but rather, images of human dignity and endurance. Tyler Cann, Columbus Museum of Art Curator of Contemporary Art & Head of Exhibitions