Anthropophagy (and other tales from the forest) - new work

Some paintings have a raw story to tell, and this is one of them. This large piece is heavily inspired by the 1930's Brazilian movement cultural anthropophagy, drawing a parallel between the ritual practice of some Indigenous tribes in Brazil who, before European colonization, cannibalised their enemies not out of hunger or savagery, but to absorb their strength, courage and spirit; a ritualistic process of self-transformation.

Anthropophagy (and other tales from the forest), 200x150cm, Acrylics, oil sticks, calligraphy inks and pastels on raw cotton canvas

At the studio, this particular work was incredibly difficult to navigate, going through countless mutations between addition and subtraction, devouring the parts of oneself that no longer serve, discarding what is empty while grasping with the somewhat beautiful yet disturbing, real identity of the Self. In this sense, it echoes Oswald de Andrade’s anthropophagic proposition that Brazilian art and indeed my own voice survives by consuming the foreign, digesting external forms and returning them transformed, unruly and local.

detail

Recalling what once horrified the colonial eyes is taking shape into a picture of resistance towards the outer noise of external voices in my head, in an ironic and defiantly autonomous pursue for personal expression.

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