I have been studying two very different forms of painting lately. Those being traditional religious renaissance depictions of Christianity,and in opposition to these iconic pictorial narratives-Abstract Expressionism. Barnett Newman comes to mind with his transubstantiation "Zip" paintings when we think about the purity of art and religion.
I am working my way towards maintaining a sense of poetry and cultural utility with the integration of graphic stencil work into my paintings. I want these paintings to exist as fragments of what is seen in the city on the streets, walls, and underpasses, etc. I also want these paintings to be disjunctive representing a great many things, but simplistic in there visual presence with only a few recognizable images. Those images will likely be graphic stencils, which I consider today as "Democratic Iconography" or simply put the people's art. The symbols of the common woman or man that emphasize the current flux on things, as in there existence outside of the art world and in the people's congregation. Eventually I want to penetrate the galleries with this work creating a bridge to the world of social democratic art.
1 comment:
I enjoy this piece very much - I look forward to be being in its presence. The reason:
The poignancy of Christ's expression (mostly through lines of the physique) and what this image universally symbolizes is something that most most fighters can feel and empathize with. To volitionally give your comfort, your confidences, your life for something you believe in. An utmost act of faith to yourself and what you stand for. Most humans, in some way or the other, do this (so long as they don't let the superficialities of this life sweep them away). That is what I see in the image alone.
When I move away from the image into the surrounding field on the painting, I feel myself in my own head, so to speak. This field is the mind. A churning haze of color, life, texture = all of life's complexities that both depress and delight. To swallow and reflect upon life's adversities is in itself a sacrifice. To look your situation in the eye, question it, yell at it, hate it, and accept it. And then to recognize that it is just one of many ingredients to your soul and that it is necessary to truly rise. It's all very beautiful and very sad - my own life's events are churning in me right now.
When the image of Christ, and what is represents, is superimposed on this field - it makes sense.
That is how I feel about this painting.
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