Saturday, April 30, 2005
Burkha
Painted 2005.
Are we hiding the beauty of our innocence or the ugliness of our ignorance?
Are we hiding the beauty of our innocence or the ugliness of our ignorance?
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I've been thinking on this one for awhile, unable to post. I've decided the provocative (or inflammatory?) accompanying quote doesn't gel well with the painting itself. Knowing where you're coming from, I know why you included it, but it breaks down on examination. What ignorance would they conceal or even try to conceal with the burkha? What ignorance there may be will be obvious in or at least through the cloth. Besides, it gets too political for my taste following this road too long. The dynamics of a burkha-society is not something I have much personal experience with.
I do notice, however, that this painting uses a common theme or yours (though one that we haven't seen much yet in the blog obviously) of hiding one's true identity behind a false veneer. Instead of a mask of a false self, though, the subjects in this painting essentially show no self (true or false) at all -- a refusal to interact, even falsely. And yet, pieces of the true, naked self are still revealed (though perhaps not essential parts?), as if by accident. Can they even see what's been revealed, with their faces covered?
I do notice, however, that this painting uses a common theme or yours (though one that we haven't seen much yet in the blog obviously) of hiding one's true identity behind a false veneer. Instead of a mask of a false self, though, the subjects in this painting essentially show no self (true or false) at all -- a refusal to interact, even falsely. And yet, pieces of the true, naked self are still revealed (though perhaps not essential parts?), as if by accident. Can they even see what's been revealed, with their faces covered?
# posted by 
: 2:29 PM
: 2:29 PM
I agree with you in your comments on the painting"Burkha". You of course are right if you accept burkha as a reference to a specific culture or group and not the name of a specific piece of clothing like hat, shirt, or cape,etc.. I have often wondered about clothing. I assume clothing began to be used to protect the body from environmental effects, but now has evolved into sonething far more complex. However,"for every action there is an equal and opposit reaction." When we use clothing to protect ourselves againt the environment we often become contemptuous of the environment. When we use clothing to indentify ourselves with a group we are held respossible for the acts of everyone and anyone in that group and therfore vulnerable. I think it is enlightening to consider that at times when we endeavor to do something positive, it may have a negative outcome.
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