Week #7 Message #1
This week we looked at the hierarchy of ‘importance’ of art styles as defined by the 17th Century rules and are tasked with examining this perception and looking at how contemporary values may challenge these ‘rules’.
Our task was to look at a contemporary artwork and critique it according to the 17th Century rules.
I have chosen a piece by the Singh Twins as I recently discovered their work and love how they entwine historical references, multiculturalism, humour and social justice messaging in their richly detailed illustrative work.
Here is a quote from their Facebook page explaining their latest piece, celebrating the 18th Century British Artist, Poet and Satirist, William Blake, a local hero here in my home town of Glastonbury.
Today we celebrate the birth in 1757 of the brilliant British painter and poet William Blake whose political, symbolic and satirical art has inspired our own practice. Our painting ‘Beast of Revelation’ pays tribute to Blake’s work by the same title. Blake’s work illustrates the Biblical account of St John’s vision of the seven headed Red Dragon bestowing power on a Blue Beast rising from the sea. Within early Christian tradition this account was popularly regarded as symbolising the partnership between evil earthly rulers and Satan’s servant or the Antichrist which would lead to the temporary stronghold of Satan over the world before his final defeat in the ultimate battle of good over evil at the second coming of Christ.
First here is Blake’s original image- ‘The Great Red Dragon and the Beast from the Sea’ which was one of a series of watercolors which portray the artists interpretation of Biblical images from the Book of Revelation. Note that the heads of ‘the beast’ are anthropomorphised, and could relate to figures from the artist’s time? (Image source https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.11499.html).
And here is the Singh Twins modern interpretation and a very insightful quote from their page explaining why they chose to create their work this way .
They explain the Religious iconography and symbolism used in both images. There are modern historical references and satirical portraiture, and they have enriched the quite muted tones used in Blake’s original painting with vibrent reds and blues, perhaps a nod to the blood spilled by British and American leaders in the image? The Muted blue-green of the beast emerging from the sea is like the Statue of Liberty, and I love their final question, provoking the viewer to think about who they might include as a head of the beast! :
‘Our artwork explores the universal and contemporary relevance of this specifically Christian theme. Satan’s reign on earth is translated as the very real evils of this world which have manifest themselves throughout history in the horrors of war and the atrocity of slavery; in the gluttony that has made species extinct and laid waste to natural environments; in the moral and spiritual decline of an increasingly individualistic, consumer society controlled by market forces and political agendas and in the self-serving interests of irresponsible and corrupt political and religious leadership..It's a timeless message.
If we were to create this same artwork today, it would look like the second image. Who would you add?’
