Rottura

The sacredness of Mother Earth, ecological unity, and the interdependence of all species and communities—critical attributes of social and environmental justice—are core values underwritten in the Bali Principles of Climate Justice 2002. “Climate Justice calls for the education of present and future generations, emphasizes climate, energy, social and environmental issues, while basing itself on real-life experiences and an appreciation of diverse cultural perspectives.” “Real-life experiences” suggests an empirical approach to cultivating knowledge that can highlight a meaningful appreciation and lead to a symbiotic relationship with the land, sentient beings, communities, and ourselves. An interaction with the natural environment through peregrination can be transformative; it can result in therapeutic benefits and compassionate encounters with other sentient beings. In turn, such experiences can provoke a deeper awareness of our responsibility to and stewardship of the natural world, as well as of the transience and fragility of life, the pathos of death.

Blending of Body and Soul

This series of drawings has been inspired by 7th century monk Saint John of Climax who proposes self-restraining methods as a progression to a heighten state of ecstasy and godly purity and configures an existential space where moral and sensuous dichotomies distract and co-exist between the sacred and the profane. I am interested in revelling in this transformative space because it is a place equally familiar and unknown; a place of unfulfilled desire. Through the process of blending pictorial descriptive and abstracted qualities—the body and the soul—I aim to elicit an arousing state where disorder and carnival enthusiasm clash all within the intimacy of drawing.

When Words Fail

Caravaggio’s The Inspiration of Saint Matthew (1602) contains biblical references alluding to the ongoing challenges of keeping a focus in the midst of mounting distractions. St. Matthew, while documenting his revelations, was at a loss for words. I am moved by the content of this work, but moreover by Caravaggio’s delight in casting a youthful angel as the motivator. An analogy can be drawn between our children (youth) and salvation. Our hope for a benevolent future lies in the quality of the moral fabric we weave together with our children. My message, among others, is to raise awareness that when words fail, the vision of humanity that our images convey can be read beyond the barrier of languages as a message of peace and well-being. These drawings were conceptualized during the Afghan and Iraqi invasions.

The Sacred and the Prosaic

A new body of work, exploring random associations of potent products of nature and science together emerged as watercolours. Images of flowers and plants considered to have sacred, healing and hallucinogenic power were paired with low- and high-tech machine elements. By setting up a prosaic reference between paired images I sought to harmonize the subjects as metaphors echoing the “displacing dimensions of life.” As primitive cultures moved from hunting and gathering to agricultural pastoralism and finally to industrialization, there occurred a loss of a deep appreciation for psychoactive plants and their sacred use, and as well a depreciation for the bond critical to our civilization.

My complete archive is available online and is best viewed from a larger screen. The images above consist of a selection of works from four of my most recent series:

‍Rottura
Blending of Body and Soul
When Words Fail
The Sacred and the Prosaic