Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Planned Obsolescence


"Planned Obsolescence"
Rusted Iron and Acrylic on Canvas - 2010

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Not nice. Not nice at all, but what an inspired image with something behind it. Wanna tell you a story. When I was photo-technician at the Slade 1980-84 one student - pick of art graduates naturally - spent a whole term producing a big photo print of an illustration from an old medical book. A human heart. That was it, nothing added or taken away.

Has the 'minimalist' age passed? Maybe you know.

gerry boyd said...

Powerful Mr. Sheridan. This is art that defies the observer to not react. To remain neutral is not an option. Plus intimations of Memento Mori, huh? Love it!

Rachel said...

Lieber Thomas,

diese Idee ist genial..

LG, Rachel

Jenny said...

I agree with Gerry. And I could never stand a world where art was only meant to please.

Thomas Sheridan said...

Thanks Cor, Rachel and Gerry. I think it was inspired mostly by seeing Catholic icons pictures in my grandmother's house as a kid. The Sacred Heart and The Stations of the Cross and the sheer viceral brutality of something that was meant to be uplifting. But at the same time they were beautiful too. Hard to explain.

This painting has caused something of an outrage to some people who have seen it. I am frankly amazed at how it has really upset some people. It's actually a very hopefull painting in its intent. A broken life coming back into bloom like a dormant plant at Springtime. Some people amaze me they really do. Very odd.

Thomas Sheridan said...

Yes Jenny. Art is about life not about just nice things. Life is often cruel and painful.

Megan Duffy said...

This is absolutely stunning, Thomas. Such incredible movement, it looks (and feels to me) as if it pulses from the canvas. Rusted iron- brilliant.

Francis Scudellari said...

I hadn't thought of the Sacred Heart association, but that does add a new dimension to it. If those complaining could step back from the initial "gut" reaction, they would see it does have a very strong visual appeal.

Anonymous said...

Very strong image, Thomas. I can't understand how it can have caused outrage.

Thomas Sheridan said...

Thanks Megan, I am never noticed how it stil looks alive, but I should of when the ravens tried to eat it while it left it outdoors to dry.

Frances, you are right about seeing it more from a distance. I should have made the image smaller.

PO, some people want to live in a world of puppy dogs and lollipops and then wonder why they end up on medication. They have not figured out that we live in a dualist universe and there can only be balance with positive and negative combined.

human being said...

Sohrab Sepehri, the Iranian poet and painter, has compared the heart to a pomegranate...

i see that analogy here...

i feel a sacred wrath!