VIEW IN MY ROOM
United Kingdom
Painting, Watercolor on Paper
Size: 6.6 W x 10.2 H x 0 D in
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This is the first in a series of paintings I made over the summer of the Covid-19 pandemic, whilst in lockdown in the UK. Although not directly, consciously derived from this terrible collective experience, I'm sure the theme of death came to the forefront of my mind as a consequence of the zeitgeist. However, the initial idea of death as a protagonist in a kind of picaresque series came from hearing a novelist talk about writing from the point of view of the Serpent (i.e. Satan) in the story of the Garden of Eden. This, as far as I was aware, had not been done before (although I think both Dante and Milton had Satan describe things from his point of view, but my knowledge on this is a little hazy!). It triggered in me thoughts of both "views from the ground" and from a character who is depicted as pure evil - a character to be wholly rejected according to our Sunday school teaching. But to me, death is intrinsic to life. Moreover, Satan/Death was in fact the bringer of knowledge and self-awareness to humankind - there had to be a death of innocence for this to be achieved. I began to think that the Serpent had been given a bum rap on the whole story of human development (rather negatively called "The Fall" in the Bible) in the Garden of Eden. Likewise the lowly serpent/snake is reviled and feared for his legless, sinuous, shifty appearance - a character not to be trusted. But I began to like him. I began to see that he is steeped in profound knowledge and wisdom, and that above all he is a truth-teller - where others fear to think, let alone speak, he is there with his unflinching gaze. "Death in life" is essential for our spiritual growth. It is Death who teaches us how to live. And so I began my series on the wanderings of Death, not knowing where he might take me. This is the first in that series, where Death seeks me out (an unwilling witness/victim), as he surely will all of us throughout (and ultimately to end) our lives.
Painting:Watercolor on Paper
Original:One-of-a-kind Artwork
Size:6.6 W x 10.2 H x 0 D in
Frame:Not Framed
Ready to Hang:Not applicable
Packaging:Ships in a Box
Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.
Handling:Ships in a box. Artists are responsible for packaging and adhering to Saatchi Art’s packaging guidelines.
Ships From:United Kingdom.
Customs:Shipments from United Kingdom may experience delays due to country's regulations for exporting valuable artworks.
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United Kingdom
"Although I state that much of my work stems from the imagery thrown up by depression, I would say that it is also the imagery of unconscious connection.Indeed the two are irrevocably entwined. It is no accident that the appearance of animal symbols and the use of bodily products such as hair, urine and blood is also influenced by my former work as a veterinary surgeon. Some time spent in psychoanalysis has helped me to illuminate these connections to find a personal mythology, which I believe connects to a universal meaning of what it is to be human. The `otherness` of animals, their power, vulnerability, unselfconsciousness and instinctual drives, and their relationship with us, are potent symbols of qualities we also have - qualities which we struggle with in our attempts to remain in control of ourselves and our society. It is where these tensions meet that my work is situated." Studio: Sculpture Shed, Spike Island, 133, Cumberland Road, Bristol, BS1 6UX. Tel: (0117) 929 2266; Email: michael.hayter@blueyonder.co.uk
Artist featured by Saatchi Art in a collection
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