More ''Redemption'' in the making - and it still unforgiving work!

A while ago, I wrote a blogpost about my series 'Redemption Day Is Not Installed'. Quite an intense, dark, gloomy series of drawings made with pencil, ink and watercolours. I tried to describe that, to me, this series was about the uncompromising character of guilt, especially undeserved and (often) self-inflicted guilt and how it's almost impossible to break free of it. And how to redeem oneself can be an obligation that has the potential to turn into a burden itself. 

It is an extremely heavy load to carry with you.

It's a series I am certainly not done with. Not for a long time. So, here are a couple of new ones in the making. Still using the same materials and imagery, but with the addition of some other type of creatures and colours, moving from the colder blue and greenish, even turqoise shades from the first drawings to more intense reds and purples. But still, not any warmer. It's still quite a harsh place to dwell in. 

Furthermore, I have been playing with the idea of exploring this theme and visualisation in a more theatrical type of setting, perhaps adding little sculptures or otherwise 3D figurines to the scene. Not sure yet, but some ideas worth looking into, so .. hope to show you all more of that in the near future!

For now, I hope you like these new drawings in the making!

The Blame Game & Taking the Guilt Trip: new series ''Blame'' depicts all that and more...

 

The concept of 'blame' plays an important role in my work. Guilt and blame, to be precise. Partially because of reasons far too personal to talk or write about here, partially because of the more psychological aspects of the phenonemon.

It is, as far as I'm concerned, a re-occurring theme in Witty Art, sometimes clearly visible and tangible, most of times more like a some form of abstract presence, lingering and even lurking in the background. Well, that's how someone once described it to me - and I can definitely relate to that.

It's present in, for instance, my series "H.U.R.T." and ''Unforgiven'', the latter specifically triggered by a quote from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's classic novel ''Crime and Punishment'': 

''To go wrong in one's own way is better then to go right in someone else's.'' 

Now, there is another series in the making which deals with the same topic, albeit in a different way, taking a different approach. Whereas, to me, both "H.U.R.T.'' and ''Unforgiven'' are much harsher, violent even on an deeply emotional level, ''Blame'' depicts the feeling of being blamed, aside from whether you are guilty or not. It's about the someone playing the blamegame on you and you taking the guilt trip.

''Blame'' was also partially inspired by the song with the same name of one of my all time favourite bands, The Afghan Whigs: ''Blame, Etc''. As with all of their songs, the raw energy of both their music and lyrics speaks to me on many, many levels.

I took the liberty of embedding a YouTube link to this song, so you can play and listen for yourself. As I said, to me it's not just the pulsating rhythm, haunting guitars and frontman Greg Dulli's grinding voice, but it's the combination with the lyrics that makes their music so powerful to me. 

''Blame, deny, betray, divide
A lie, the truth
Which one shall I use?
Whatcha gonna do?
I know
Whatcha gonna do?
I know, I know, I know"
Words & Music: Greg Dulli 

For those who'd like to read the whole lyrics, please click here. 


 
All I can say, that The Whigs' music has been with me for many years now and it has helped inspire the creation of much Witty Art Work - and I can absolutely state with 100% certainty it will continue to do so for the rest of my life.

Greg Dulli and The Afghan Whigs still perform and tour regularly.