A SAD MAN has arrived

Xrod
Well, A SAD MAN is complete and it is frightening... graphically speaking... was not trying for shock value but, that may be there (will have to wait on this aspect when it gets to the street of the world). I tried to stick closely to that original first impression that emerged in my mind. Shock value was not a conscious intention. What is surprising to me is that there are elements I was not expecting that carry the nuances on many levels. It is more than a man being castrated. Transexualism, FGC and I feel more subtle nuances are waiting to be discovered. The technique of applying Plaster of Paris soaked burlap on in a fashion of a medical cast but, with a rough unfinished surface, seemly suggesting other forces at play... the “unfinished” man, perhaps or who cares about this “predator” bastard. I really do not go into such analysis normally... these things are just popping into my head. In any case, A SAD MAN is not a Michael Angelo's “DAVID”.




MacD
In my mind, I see the Sad Man, but what is the context? I'd need to see a woman, facing away perhaps at a distance, so I could understand his castration. Otherwise I'm not sure I would get it, if I do get it at all.


Xrod
He is the commentator, the messenger.


　

Xrod
Does that make any sense to you? The old question...” what is art”? A picture on a wall that photographic-like imitates nature or people or animals is not art to me although, it might be fine craftsmanship. But, it is nothing except wall decoration, which the viewer apathetically notices in passing, from the corner of the eye. Art should say nothing about the skill or creativity of the maker, who needs not necessarily be a craftsman.

 A SAD MAN should be commentary and arrived at from, out of the social forces around it. That justifies it’s existence and that is it’s context. And as the social forces around it are ambiguous and complex it by nature reflects that on certain levels but focuses the viewer on the social issues of humanity. Art is about the human journey, lest it be simply rhetorical, mundane narcissistic carnal gratification.

For me, if it can be called “art”, it is constructed from mysterious forces within my mind, yet mindless, not arrived at by intellectual manipulation, which leads to propaganda (most likely). Those “mysterious forces” may not be linked to that genetic library of the human journey, which, as you know, I believe answers a vast number of questions about traditional and modern social constructs.

So the artist, ideally, is simply an anonymous conduit.


MacD
Yes, it does make sense to me as you have explained it. And your process of having a flash of the finished image/thought, and your attempt to keep that vision pure is quite beautiful in itself. Where I have difficulty is in understanding how the viewer can enter into that process. You had a 'flash' which was the result of following a series of conflicting information/thoughts on a subject to a conclusion. A very interesting conclusion I think. But I'm not sure the viewer can go on any journey without context. And what if the general public's feelings about The Sad Man are way off base? Does The Sad Man still have validity as your pure statement? Yes it does, but to you. I know that art evokes a personal interpretation…I get that, and everyone will view it differently. But a degree of visual context is necessary. Obscuring clarity is not the point, I'm sure.


XroD

The physical art is the visual and it is placed in the public setting, to be seen, touched, assessed. That is it physical context. From there it becomes and intellectual context with the sculpture/commentator, speaking to the observer. And there are visual clues, even in the SAD MAN’S ambiguity. It is somewhat like a puzzle with many pieces… that connect. Except in this case, when all the pieces are layout out, the finished picture may be filled with many messages and that is okay because, that is what society is about. It is like my art school lesson of taking a quick look at the subject then looking away and drawing what you remember. Each student comes up with a different image. But, the subject is only one.

It is my wish that people will come away with a different conclusion after seeing … A SAD MAN.

You are very brave to make commentary from only my verbal description, while in development. I appreciate that. I am now looking for a venue to present A SAD MAN in the Miami Design District and will send you photos. In the meantime, let me show you ANA, a life-size metal sculpture I made waking from a dream-like state. I started working on her immediately upon standing up out of bed with construction materials at hand… rebar wire and re-enforcing steel rods.

ANA (pronounced: AH NA) was constructed in the midst of my art show in Halifax in September 2012.

　

 


　

Photos

　

　

There were some interesting comments from the viewing public. The following was made by Dawson Wambolt (MA, Psychology)

　


Rod,

After I saw your sculpture 'ANA' last night it had been burning in my mind. I was talking to you still trying to unpack the thoughts and feelings that your piece elicited, and they were related to concepts such as 'femininity' and 'primal'. You had mentioned also during the course of our conversation about determinism and that ANA came from memory, but you were uncertain to what exactly the memory was related to. As I left your studio space with a pamphlet in hand about ANA, something began to dawn on me, and I thought to share it with you in this email.

I believe I had encountered an experience last night of what Jung would term as synchronicity. As I was leaving I began to think about the name you had given ANA, and my thoughts wandered to a former instructor of mine, Dr. Ana Mozol, who is a Jungian analyst. Her work focused on womens' depth psychology, particularly the concept of the demonic lover and the archetype of womanhood, which is a concept that has been lost and eroded away by culture. This archetype is something that is primal and unrecognizable, let alone comparable to any point of reference available today about femininity. I feel as though your work ANA embodies much of this hazy archetype, typified by an unmistakeable female form that is decidedly fertile and birthing, yet is lacking in facial features. or even a head for that matter. The lines that hold the form where a head may be seem to simultaneously convey a loss of identity, and that ANA embodies the everywoman.

In my less finished thoughts about your piece I also get the sense that ANA personifies the Shadow as well as ego, based on both her colouration and materials used to construct her that is juxtaposed with her clearly displayed femininity. The concept of the Shadow represents an opposite of the ego image, which typically contains qualities that the ego does not identify with, yet still possesses. I feel as though the woman you were talking to before me who found ANA to be

cold, and something she could not resonate with, was reacting to this representation of Shadow. Separate all you may, the Shadow is still a part of self, whether it makes a person uncomfortable or not (as you may figure, the Shadow is typically something that makes those who refuse to embrace it extremely uneasy).

Had you not named this piece ANA, I would have never probably drawn the connection to all of these concepts introduced to me by Dr. Ana Mozol. It would seem the memory that you drew ANA from was perhaps something more collectively unconscious than previously thought. None the less, this is what was brought up for me when I was viewing the piece.

I can't wait for Thursday's event at noon. I think it will be quite the time. (Dawson Wambolt, MA in Psychology)
I will send Dawson a picture of A SAD MAN… “coming soon to a venue near you”

　

    Salamat tinggal                     Rod                              rod_malay@hotmail.com