From Saints, heroes and corporations: Archetypes in evolution

In recent years my work has been evolving not only technically but conceptually.  From my paintings of saints and corporations to the study of mythological subject matter and now astrology, there has been a guiding force behind this creative impulse.   It has been relatively recent that I have gown aware of this guiding force that is far more important than it’s time/culture based visual expressions.  I have come to the conclusion that saints, heroes, gods,  monsters and even corporations today are children of something called an "archetype”. I include corporations because our government considers them as people. Personally I see them closer to act like gods or monsters.

An archetype is a transcendental energy that finds expression in various human forms and also in nature. It is a cosmic energy therefore it is beyond humanity. In astrology we see them as constellations and planets that act upon our lives. In many religions they take form as deities or saints. In popular culture we see them in their most trivial and superficial forms as pop stars and corporate mascots. Archetypes can be found everywhere and they inhabit our inner being.  In nature different animals are possessed by these archetypes and for this reason many animist tribal religions see them as guardian spirits.

By studying historic, mythic, religious and contemporary narratives long enough I have discovered recurring pattern that enables me to point out the interconnectedness of it all. As an artist I find this quite fascinating and a tremendous source of inspiration. In 2006 I started painting catholic saints and re’contextualizing these In the light of our neo-colonial consumerist culture. I started to wonder about exploring other possible forms. Eventually in 2010 I grew interested in painting heroes and gods from classical mythology.  After reading Cosmos and Psyche Intimations of a New World View by RichardTarnas I was drawn in to the study of archetypal astrology.

By exploring myths I found much relevance in astrology as the myths find concrete expressions in our culture today. Greco-Roman Mythology still lives on in our calendar, the days of the week, our zodiac wheel and they are very much alive in us  and all aspects of society whether we are aware of them or not. Today I’ve taken the task of compiling an inventory of images from religious iconography, mythology, astrology, Tarot and twelve top global issues and putting them together in one of many charts that I make with the intention of determining the underlying archetype.  To find their correspondences and relations has become my main focus in art.  It is becoming evident in my latest project Mcolonial Citizen. I will soon share more on my explorations on this subject and my latest project.

All images in this entry are taken from the drawing journals of the author. Copyrighted material 2011.