Halloween Project at Huntly; Secular Yearning for the sacred October 30, 2010
Posted by asmitasarkar in exhibitions and projects.add a comment
Drawing is a secular yearning for the sacred. The fun, frolic and apparently light hearted nature of the festival of Halloween have a ancient historic root, which is Celtic in origin. In my project I tapped into this mythic and mysterious side of the Festival. Apparently Halloween has pagan origin, which was in Roman time a festival of Fertility. I made drawings/painting in the nature of mural in appropriate locations which is good for public inter-action; I did choose art-work in the type of my “creepy crawlers”. The reason for this is that these images have a quality of yearning. They does not belong to any particular religious iconography, But they are mystic. I have already drawn them on the wall of our art school and observed the onlooker’s reaction. Most of the time, their reaction is disconcertment and wonder. I feel that these images have some uncanny quality in them which is uncanny and aesthetic at the same time.
The aim of the project was to put art works in unexpected places. How it will affect the perception of the viewer. Can the unusual nature of the symbols and icons will be enough to produce mystery and intimation of something sacred, can it indicate or point towards the mystic roots and history of Halloween.
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