VENUS AND MARS

VENUS AND MARS

ACRYLIC ON CANVAS 100x100 cm

The title of this painting, 'Venus and Mars' is based on an old and much-explored theme in art.  Two notable examples  can be seen in   Botticelli's  and  Titian's interpretations. In fact, art history abounds with images from antiquity to the present day.  The story of the love affair between Venus and Mars and the ensnaring of the lovers by Vulcan was originally the starting point for this painting. 

The setting is quite dreamlike and the two protagonists (three if you count the statue of Zeus as Poseidon) are shown as disconnected or alienated within the controlled and self-contained room.  In this dreamlike, almost virtual space, the eternal lovers are completely isolated from each other. The male figure, somewhat over-embellished with the wings of a messenger and  by inference endowed with the power of flight, contrasts with the slight and ordinary smaller female figure. They coexist, yet they have little in common.  The painting also alludes to the feelings of unreality and disassociation that our emotional states can generate. The two figures are separated by their depiction, our (and their?) interpretation of reality, by their inability to occupy the same 'world'. 

Notice that I have made the space rich and beautiful.  I have avoided creating a bleak world.  Even within otherwise happy or ordinary  lives, varying emotional states can create this sense that two people simply have hugely different reference points for interpreting reality.  Our sense of connectedness and adult relationships has been the subject of numerous psychological studies. Attachment Theory is a very important concept that casts light on how our early experiences shape our connections with others and impact on our feelings of trust and intimacy.  I was not expressly thinking all this whilst painting, but I was struck by how stark this sense of separation was in the finished picture. Could this be an accident?  Was I simply responding to a compositional challenge? On reflection I would say not. I think this is a painting that speaks of our struggle to be in a relationship, of our deep-seated desire to co-exist, and to marry our reality with that of another.  What really speaks volumes to me now that I am analysing the emotions that this painting encapsulates for me, is the subdued beauty of the space. The man's elaborate attire speaks of his complexity.  The woman has her back turned in a non-confrontational gesture.  She is not ignoring him; she is living her life, waiting for him to return back into their shared reality.  She is not a victim, neither is she responsible for his plight. Vulcan represents external influences and past experiences;the clock...as ever is an obvious symbol of the passing of time and of the preciousness of the 'now'.

The link below is a good introduction byR. Chris Fraley | University of Illinois. It links to an interesting self-assessment tool. https://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/~rcfraley/attachment.htm

Whilst creating this picture, I was also reading about Second Life and the use of virtual reality in human interaction.  The image had a disconnectedness and a dystopian feeling similar to some aspects of Second Life.  There are far-reaching  changes regarding the evolution of online virtual platforms and our increasingly technologically enhanced realities.  My personal belief is that those platforms create alternate realities which are not particularly helpful if we are looking for solutions to real life problems. Click here for an excellent discussion on this point. The article highlights the changes in mental ability and agility that on-line interaction creates.  For me, however, the image exaggerates the sense of disconnection that virtual encounters can create. In the sense of emotional health,  the kind of social isolation that we generate through our use of modern technology is counter-intuitive.  Technology creates  myriad opportunities to connect, to engage with others, so how could this be? The following excerpt from the aforementioned article  summarizes this beautifully: 

''Being online is like being a part of the greatest cocktail party ever and it is going on all the time. If you email, text, tweet, Facebook, Instagram or just follow Internet links you have access to an ever-changing universe of social touch-points. It’s like you’re circulating within an infinite throng, with instant access to people you’d almost never meet in real life.

Online life is so delicious because it is socializing with almost no friction. You can share bon mots, photographs, videos or random moments of insight, encouragement, solidarity or good will. You live in a state of perpetual anticipation because the next social encounter is just a second way. You can control your badinage and click yourself away when boredom lurks.

This form of social circulation takes the pressure off. I know some people who are relaxed and their best selves only when online. Since they feel more in control of the communication, they are more communicative, vulnerable and carefree.'' 

So this is a painting ultimately about love. About the desire to be together and the struggle of achieving this.