Art Explained: Direction
J. Antonio FARFAN
Direction Thinker Series, No. 6
2019
Acrylic and oil on maple
3.375 x 5 in. (8.527 x 12.7cm) irregular
The thinker series are the smallest of my works. Puzzles with a purpose to engage the viewer in subjects that are often tough to consider and express. Many of these tiny pieces come from past journal entries or they are a moment of reflection where a current social atmosphere delegates the subject. Every piece is made on wood and uses a mild approach by using colorful, simple ideograms and illustrative techniques to denote distressing issues. In this piece titled Directive, a depressed young man dives into deeper water fully clothed. The water is green as a personal artistic expression of growth. The melancholy expression on the young man’s face looks up to see a single cloud appearing above him with the suited hand of "Business Jesus" adamantly directing him to turn around and return to higher ground, thereby changing the direction of a dark gradual reveal into one of unfinished business.* The painting expresses a spiritual hallucination, where a much-needed supernatural intervention occurs in the midst of life changing moment for a young man in a desperate state. The painting expresses the necessity and importance of discipline, order and faith in preparation for very human episodes of despair. Sometimes the absence of logic in these moments of distress can lead to desperate thoughts of self-infliction, mutilation and harm; psychological states of confusion that necessitate a strong foundation not often found in children and adults that find themselves in such hopeless states of mind.
* The dark brown color at the base of the painting functions as both the ground of a beach and symbolic curtain that functions as a separation between life and death. The figures direction of movement either opens or closes a dark void of nothing (death). " Business Jesus " is directing the young man to go back, and choose life ... if the figure listens the void will close and life will begin again. [if !supportLineBreakNewLine] [endif]
