When God died, Nietzsche (bless him) went mad trying to develop a moral structure to replace that which fear of Mr Beardy in the sky had previously provided. A century or so later, I am examining the results of that tragic failure as represented in the unconscious behaviour of the contemporary crowd. The works for this show contain depictions of my own projections onto individuals as they manifest in public. The complex interactions between people in groups have then come to represent my own psychodramas. As well as the urban interpersonal landscapes, the show includes a series of nudes. These more intimately examine that which I unconsciously bring to others as I look at them.
As I develop my own felt experience of ‘right and wrong’ I discover that love is a stronger but trickier basis for morality than fear. In the age of a ‘dead’ God, I could despair that fear and shame still rule, sponsoring the continued moronic expansion of the global marketplace. However, I would rather not. Although these paintings are suggestions that addiction and anxiety have the monopoly over my internal and external landscapes, other more conscious ideologies are also available.
Kali Yuga - the dark, godless age in which we are now living according to the Hindu calendar.
The Mahabharata connects the following qualities of human relationships with the Kali Yuga:
- Avarice and wrath will be common. Humans will openly display animosity towards each other.
- People will have thoughts of murder with no justification and will see nothing wrong in that.
- Lust will be viewed as socially acceptable and sexual intercourse will be seen as the central requirement of life.
- Sin will increase exponentially, while virtue will fade and cease to flourish.
- People will take vows and break them soon after.
- People will become addicted to intoxicating drinks and drugs.