Strung Out

This picture paints a sign of the times. Our friendly face is shaking, trembling even, with shades of Parkinson’s, shaking with memories of some tragic, or rather so many tragic experiences – especially so for some of us, the less fortunate, and ironically those who are seen as to blame for it all. Yes, this African face speaks of nerves that are shot, nerve endings that are frayed. Yet the face does not seem afraid, perhaps because his eyes are closed, closed against the weariness of it all, closed against seeing more of the same, closed in refreshing and faithful introspection. The African poise of acceptance is clear.

The artist uses elements that emphasize the tension, the electricity of the situation. With electric cords that are sometimes insulated in bright “plastic”, as if everything were everything, while we are also presented with the wire laid bare and twisted, kinked, bent out of smooth shape. Almost AC/DC!

The artist has also tended in his recent works to use his frames as integral to the presentation, and here we are presented with two levels of white frames…and these too have meanings. They remind our face of being circumscribed by a pristine white society that lies outside his tension, except during the more than occasional discussion at tea party or function. That is a society that remains insulated, ensuring for itself a greater degree of security, a minimum of being touched or personally affected. At the deeper level however, the other white frame represents the silver lining to the dark cloud that surrounds our face. It represents the hope, that beyond it all is the peace, which passes all understanding.