After researching into Japanese culture and finding the geisha fascinating I did my best to include multiple elements of what I found in my research including making a rhinestone headpiece worn in the hair.
I wanted the piece to convey reflection and channel the peaceful atmosphere found in a lot of Japanese architecture and landscape.
I had been researching how western culture has
influenced the depiction of religious figures at the time of making this piece and found it interesting
how Jesus’ depiction is usually white with blue eyes when in reality he would’ve been more olive
brown with brown eyes and thicker hair.
I also found it interesting how the depiction of the devil
became increasingly cartoonish with features such as a sharp tail and horns being his most notable
attributes.
The piece’s title is inspired by Pyrrho who was a 4th century philosopher who founded a
school called Pyrrhonism.
One of his philosophies was that the concept of good and evil does not
exist by nature and is purely relative to the person judging it.
This piece challenged me to re-imagine a famous Native American, Red Cloud, as a younger warrior.
After much research and time spent painting in smaller details I came away very satisfied with the end result.
The painting has many influences from Native American culture, specifically the Hopi Tribe. It has two symbols, one called ‘homecoming’ which represents the return of a warrior from battle, the other being the ’tapuat’ symbol representing the life cycle and connection between Mother Earth and spirituality.
I also painted a traditional heishi necklace and used a traditional pattern for the feathered headpiece worn by the tribal chief.
I wanted this painting to primarily focus on texture.
I was fascinated with how modern depictions of religion have morphed in western culture.
I wanted to replicate a biblically inaccurate angel that you’d normally see at a grave yard and contrast it with a background that uses the colours of hell with red symbolising fire and blue symbolising burning brimstone. The white is meant to symbolise heaven hence why it is fading away.
