Friday, April 2, 2010

Urbi et Orbi

Perspective, photo realism, true-to-life portrait -- this is what I did in the years of study, and I threw it all overboard. I came back to the principles of medieval painting.

There is a turmoil in the religious world that I feel sorry for, but not for the fact that purification is happening. A purification which has been overdue. I see it from a distant point of view. The traditional ways of handling "inner" problems don't work anymore.

As I am no longer part of the christian world, I watch with mild woe how people have to find a new base to ground their faith and confidence on. The more the center of this medieval world tries to keep things as they are, the more fragile the system. --

Whatever you celebrate today, I wish you very happy holidays. May the essence of the celebrations radiate over the beings and give them happiness and hope.

Miniature, gouache, 18cm/7.1"

p.s. Blogger seemed to be out of service for a few hours, did you have trouble blogging, too?
Due to these problems I lost Art Sparker's comment, but found it in Google where it was lingering, and reconstructed it.

5 comments:

ArtSparker said...

Yes, there was some problem earlier. Oh yes, the medieval world, the simple understanding that goes with the flat rendering, which our complex reality, with its more than three dimensions, no longer allows. But our vision is limited and our wish for simple truths is very strong. I like the characters in the alleys between the houses.

ArtSparker said...

This makes me think too of William Blake's

Priests in black Gowns
Were walking their rounds
And binding with briars
My joys and desires.

jude said...

i like the shadows.

Judy said...

mmmmm! YUmmmMMMM

xo

John Hopper said...

I actually enjoy the lack of perspective. There is much to be said for the European World-view of the pre-Renaissance.