RUSSELL NACHMAN’S ART STATEMENT
A meditation on the waning days of western metaphysics via the art-historical trope of the harlequin—re-imagined as a contemporary, Black Metal-music reveler. These are corpse painted figures imbibing in a bacchanal of alcohol and religious euphoria. They are the Freudian Id, loosed and drunk on a mal-appropriated spirituality.
Using structures of iconic, Christian painting and illuminated, prayer manuscripts this work creates a contrast of reverence and irreverence in order to express the desire for meaning faced with the fear that meaning has receded in the construct of all things.
Yea… it’s a sort of gnostic conversation (albeit a drunken conversation) …an “after party” of civilization’s metaphysical/religious beliefs.
And as such, an emotional/mental state depicted as if it were a sociological exposition of a future’s past.
Cheers!
Russell
