Synaesthesia
Posted by Robert Beer on 7/29/2010 8:49:11 PM
Dark Mandala (detail)
It has been a long stay at the dentist's.
He gave me six injections.
Throughout his work I smoked my pipe continually
And told him, "Next time I'll bring my bazooka!"
All my painting at this time concerns the use of colour as a completely expressive language. This is not in any way tied to the limitations of narrative or 'documentary' type projection of external reality, but is in fact mood projection of inner reality. Synaesthesia describes the process most adequately. An analogy is: - If I paint a bottle of beer with the top off I have to put it the right way up otherwise the force of gravity would make a pool on the floor. However, if someone is drunk at a party and standing on their head their happiness is not turned upside down. It thus follows that states of mind, mood, etc. are not governed by simple sets of logical rules, but are entirely controlled according to the perception of the individual involved. Actually projecting this kind of 'situation' is very complex - like the Zen art of archery - although it is essential in my case if anything valid is to be painted.
I am aware of a growing ease at the simultaneous (different) levels of consciousness. Since childhood these have frightened me and made me uncertain of specific identity. I now realise that the dissolving identity, which these intense changes of perception promote, serves to expand my awareness of mood and content on the inner level. The elimination of "I", if allowed to continue without fear by what remains of it, will certainly establish a more universal 'presence' that will be less governed by existing concepts of 'personal identity'.
To artificially effect a perception change is like forcing open a flower bud - but what is artificial?
He gave me six injections.
Throughout his work I smoked my pipe continually
And told him, "Next time I'll bring my bazooka!"
All my painting at this time concerns the use of colour as a completely expressive language. This is not in any way tied to the limitations of narrative or 'documentary' type projection of external reality, but is in fact mood projection of inner reality. Synaesthesia describes the process most adequately. An analogy is: - If I paint a bottle of beer with the top off I have to put it the right way up otherwise the force of gravity would make a pool on the floor. However, if someone is drunk at a party and standing on their head their happiness is not turned upside down. It thus follows that states of mind, mood, etc. are not governed by simple sets of logical rules, but are entirely controlled according to the perception of the individual involved. Actually projecting this kind of 'situation' is very complex - like the Zen art of archery - although it is essential in my case if anything valid is to be painted.
I am aware of a growing ease at the simultaneous (different) levels of consciousness. Since childhood these have frightened me and made me uncertain of specific identity. I now realise that the dissolving identity, which these intense changes of perception promote, serves to expand my awareness of mood and content on the inner level. The elimination of "I", if allowed to continue without fear by what remains of it, will certainly establish a more universal 'presence' that will be less governed by existing concepts of 'personal identity'.
To artificially effect a perception change is like forcing open a flower bud - but what is artificial?
