Youth Mourning – a painting by George Clausen

 

As I reflect on the process of mourning, I am for a moment, stepping aside from the deconstructionist philosophy of Jacque Derrida and Post Modernism and  looking purely at the emotional and expressive reality of the event.

While viewing various works by other artists, I was deeply moved by the sorrow expressed in this painting.

 

 

 The following description is taken from the Imperial War Museum, London, where the painting is on display:

“Sir George Clausen was an established Royal Academician when he painted Youth Mourning in 1916 at the age of 64.  It represents his personal reaction to the loss of a generation of young British soldiers during the conflict, and particularly to the death of his daughter Katharine’s fiance.

Youth, represented as a vulnerable young woman, mourns the death of her love, and by extension, the deaths of all young soldiers.  In the distance are the flooded battlefield craters.  This allegorical work combines traditional classicism and Christian symbolism with the stark landscape of the Western Front.”

Neil Young -Thrasher

 

 

I have started a triptych which is the final work in the (Im)possible series. The three canvasses exam Death, Mourning and Rebirth. I have also seen the three canvasses as reflecting on Good Friday. Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday. The main painting will be the (im)possibility of Mourning( Holy Saturday). As I worked through this process I have been considering  various forms of “Loss” .

Today I had conversation with a close friend regarding friendship and the loss of friendship and community. My friend mentioned that he was felt as if he was mourning past and lost friendships.

When Neil Young wrote “Thrasher”, in 1979, he was 34 years old, I first heard this in 1980 and I was 16 years old. It was the song that introduced me to Neil Young’s music and even though I have always love this song, I feel that a long journey of time is needed to fully appreciate this song.

 

 

Lyrics and brief notes:

Thrasher

They were hiding behind hay bales,
They were planting in the full moon
They had given all they had for something new
But the light of day was on them,
They could see the thrashers coming
And the water shone like diamonds in the dew.

(Im)possible no.3 – Forgive

 

 

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Paintings by Hermann Nitsch

 

    

  Poured Painting  1963                   Blood Painting 1962

 

So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.  But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day.  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.  Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.  John 6 vs 53-56 (NLT)

 

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An excerpt from John O’Donohue’s book – Divine Beauty

(Im)possible no.2 – Hospitality

      

(Im)possible no.1 – Gift

     

        

 

 

Acrylic on canvas: 1000mm X 500mm

Parallel and the (im)possible.

 

 

Acrylic on canvas: 1000mm X 700mm

 

Click on the picture to enlarge.

Change of view, change of eye, same head – Parallax I , II , III

Three paintings:  Acrylic on canvas  400mm X 800mm

               

    Parallax I

       

                 

       

Triptych – Supernatural Change

    

  

Please click on the thumbnails to enlarge:

   

 Acrylic on canvas :  160cm x 135cm

  

The triptych form arises from early Christian art, and was the standard format for altar paintings from the Middle Ages onwards (definition from: Wikipedia)

Lord of the Starfields – Bruce Cockburn

“Awake!” – “the great sleep of certainty”

        

                  

“Initiation is always the attempt to create a new imprint.” – Robert Anton Wilson.

 

i remember sitting in Andy & Tess’ lounge many years ago, listening as Andy shared his desire for a shed at the bottom of the garden in which to paint, pot and/or sculpt – I think he was working at Safmarine at the time, so this must have been in the late 80’s. many years passed, during which i trusted that this vision would one day come to pass. his recent call to ask me to write a short piece on his latest painting therefore thrilled me deliciously.