From the outset, the objective of the body of work: Poetry of Decay was to challenge classic assumptions regarding the aesthetics of art and, specifically, of painting.
The central theme of decay is explored in terms of urban decay, abandoned spaces and neglect as visual metaphors for physical decay. From an aesthetic point of view, these desolate spaces may seem reminiscent of the Romantic renderings by David Fredrich, though the result is far from Romantic. While the decay of the body in all its abjection1 is employed as metaphor for the psychological decay (such as crime, racism and xenophobia) evident within dystopian society.
Similarly, polluted sunsets (in vivid acid colours as influenced by Beukes’ visual writing style 2) are viewed as metaphors for the end of the humanist era, reflecting the toxic social environments created by systems such as colonialism and apartheid, but also alludes to the toxic impact human avarice has left upon the natural world.
In aesthetic terms the human-animal hybrid and South African monuments, are employed as metaphors for the Posthuman identity as being malleable, fluid and defying the concept of identities (as with statues) being cast in stone. The physically riven painting surface in the #PostFall Series, is intended to speak to the riven characteristic of the posthuman identity, while also acting as a metaphor for the devastating influence of man’s anthropocentric3 influence upon the earth.
Beyond the metaphorical aesthetic interpretation of visually manifesting a dystopian society, my practice shows the conceptual validity of glazing and transferring as a technique and metaphor for the changing social reality, and also how it relates to the posthuman dystopian paradigm.
Conceptually the posthuman dystopia is mirrored by the physical act of painting: the materiality (or lack thereof) of paint which mirrors the passage of systems and paradigms as the old humanist mindset is replaced by the new zeitgeist.
The central theme of decay is explored in terms of urban decay, abandoned spaces and neglect as visual metaphors for physical decay. From an aesthetic point of view, these desolate spaces may seem reminiscent of the Romantic renderings by David Fredrich, though the result is far from Romantic. While the decay of the body in all its abjection1 is employed as metaphor for the psychological decay (such as crime, racism and xenophobia) evident within dystopian society.
Similarly, polluted sunsets (in vivid acid colours as influenced by Beukes’ visual writing style 2) are viewed as metaphors for the end of the humanist era, reflecting the toxic social environments created by systems such as colonialism and apartheid, but also alludes to the toxic impact human avarice has left upon the natural world.
In aesthetic terms the human-animal hybrid and South African monuments, are employed as metaphors for the Posthuman identity as being malleable, fluid and defying the concept of identities (as with statues) being cast in stone. The physically riven painting surface in the #PostFall Series, is intended to speak to the riven characteristic of the posthuman identity, while also acting as a metaphor for the devastating influence of man’s anthropocentric3 influence upon the earth.
Beyond the metaphorical aesthetic interpretation of visually manifesting a dystopian society, my practice shows the conceptual validity of glazing and transferring as a technique and metaphor for the changing social reality, and also how it relates to the posthuman dystopian paradigm.
Conceptually the posthuman dystopia is mirrored by the physical act of painting: the materiality (or lack thereof) of paint which mirrors the passage of systems and paradigms as the old humanist mindset is replaced by the new zeitgeist.
1 Abject: Kristeva (1982:53) describes this process as the porousness of the boundaries of the Self, rendering the Self in essence changeable and fluid.
2 Beukes specifically describes the sulphuric sky and other instances of humanity’s toxic impact (Beukes 2010: 225)
3 anthropocentric: regarding humankind as the central or most important element of existence, especially as opposed to God or animals. (Simpson2018[sp])
4 Venetian glazing: a painting method using numerous (often up to 40 layers) thin colour glazes applied over the underpainting. The painting presents as having strong chiaroscuro and numerous lean glazes and the hues appear luminous as a result of the light reflecting off the various colour glazes (Wilcox 2014: 80-81).
5 Liberal Humanist paradigm: the philosophical position that stresses the autonomy of humans as being superior to all of creation.
6 Ontogenesis – meaning the nature (‘onto’ ) of the start (‘genesis’) of the creative process. The term serves as a useful description of the change in nature of things, not necessarily visual or material, but informed by intentionality.
2 Beukes specifically describes the sulphuric sky and other instances of humanity’s toxic impact (Beukes 2010: 225)
3 anthropocentric: regarding humankind as the central or most important element of existence, especially as opposed to God or animals. (Simpson2018[sp])
4 Venetian glazing: a painting method using numerous (often up to 40 layers) thin colour glazes applied over the underpainting. The painting presents as having strong chiaroscuro and numerous lean glazes and the hues appear luminous as a result of the light reflecting off the various colour glazes (Wilcox 2014: 80-81).
5 Liberal Humanist paradigm: the philosophical position that stresses the autonomy of humans as being superior to all of creation.
6 Ontogenesis – meaning the nature (‘onto’ ) of the start (‘genesis’) of the creative process. The term serves as a useful description of the change in nature of things, not necessarily visual or material, but informed by intentionality.
©2019 by Laurette de Jager