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More from ~grind-the-rust

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Art for the Insane

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July 15, 2010
3.3 MB
1513×2183
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:icongrind-the-rust:
An illustration of sorts for Jan Struther’s poem “Freedom”, made with charcoal, the gunk at the bottom of a spent jar of white ink, black watercolour, and pen.

Now heaven be thanked, I am out of love again!
I have been long a slave, and now am free;
I have been tortured, and am eased of pain;
I have been blind, and now my eyes can see;
I have been lost, and now my way lies plain;
I have been caged, and now I hold the key;
I have been mad, and now at last am sane;
I am wholly I that was but half of me.
So a free man, my dull proud path I plod,
Who, tortured, blind, mad, caged, was once a God.

The last lines are repeated over and over in the halo of the large figure, and in the smoke rising around it – the poem in whole written out several times in the winding path. I tried to make the small figure – the free one of the two, look insignificant and both carefree and lost. You’ll notice that the small one also has its hair cut short – in my experience, before, or sometimes just in lieu of, changing a situation that brings them unhappiness, women often cut their hair. Then there’s all the other meanings hair has – power (Sampson) , beauty, a place to hide ones face…

I’ll confess I was put in mind of a friend of mine when I was reading this poem– but the painting is not about her, and the poem has to be read slightly differently, too.

In extreme, unhappy cases, one forgets that to love is more than to continually suffer and forgive. One begins to identify with this – it becomes a sort of holy sacrifice, the madness spurs one on to great acts, or great art, one prides ones self perversely on ones perseverance…it gives meaning….but the delusion is unlivable…
And when it’s all over, in the name of self-preservation… Who are we?
How to become human again, after this?

…we can, but it’s a long, long walk.

Hard to really word the rest, but let it suffice to say that I approached the making of this picture more viscerally than technically.

Any and all commentary, technical, visceral, inquisitive, positive and negative is welcome and encouraged as always.
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:iconanikeyy:
~Anikeyy Apr 26, 2013
Beautiful rt work
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:icondensity-tmr:
*density-tmr Oct 7, 2011
You draw really well but also have an excellent way of expressing yourself with words - never a strong point for me!
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:icongrind-the-rust:
~grind-the-rust Oct 9, 2011   General Artist
thankyou... the poem isn't mine, though - i wish it was, but it's by Jan Struther...
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:iconmephman:
~MephMan Sep 29, 2011
Really quite a stunner... it emits deep and dark energy... powerful...
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:icongrind-the-rust:
~grind-the-rust Oct 3, 2011   General Artist
thanks. I'm glad that it seems to resonate with you... It's a strange one, but certainly not a lifeless piece. Still not entirely sure what I think of it myself...
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:iconsomersetholmes:
*somersetholmes Sep 27, 2011
Brilliant work :heart:
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:iconlady-lefey:
~Lady-Lefey Sep 4, 2011
Can't find anything that deep in the visceral or technical departments, but this proves once more that using the odds, ends and leftovers of one's equipment arsenal tends to have interesting results.
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:icongrind-the-rust:
~grind-the-rust Sep 5, 2011   General Artist
*grins*indeed. more often than not, it encourages one to be experimental and impulsive.
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:iconveinsofmercury:
*veinsofmercury Sep 20, 2010
This is an incredible piece of work! my personal favorite from your gallery.
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:iconjsyrost:
~jsyrost Sep 18, 2010  Professional General Artist
nice
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