"Blognic in an Egg" after the Bosch Concert in an Egg: the Lille copy.
Terrance J. Nelson, 2011
Acrylic on convas. 18 x 24
Presented is my copy after the Hieronymous Bosch "Concert in an Egg" - in homage to the Lille copy. I retitled the composition, "Blognic in an Egg", featuring a selection of American parochial bloggers, complimented by an assortment of attributes and symbols forming a sort of commentary on the phenomenon that is the Catholic blogosphere.
Once again, my apologies for the poor photography. The panel still needs to be varnished, and then perhaps, I can provide a clearer, crisper image. The copy shown offers a good preview nevertheless.
As I mentioned, I used an assortment of medieval symbols as a commentary on the 'new media' as it is celebrated and extolled today - the curious may have fun trying to decifer my narrative.
5 comments:
Anonymous: So anyway - I knew you didn't get the painting - here are the characters represented in the egg: Fr. Z, Cardinal Burke, Fr. Mark Daniel Kirby, Fr. Corapi, a local guy named Cyril K. - he's the handsome one directly behind the Cardinal, then Thomas Peters in the papal tiara, Fr. James Martin w/the oversized purple martin pulling off his biretta, Elena of Tea at Trianon, Michael Voris, cradling Vincenzo - he likes monkeys; oh, and the priest in the green hat is a local priest and mentor to many, Fr. Welzbacher - a wise old owl indeed. The egg is a world, a milieu - and these folks would interest me at a 'blognic'.
The other figures are symbolic of bloggers and blogging, and all the birds carry a superficial message reflecting 'tweets'. Likewise the telephone pole suggests the 'new' tree of life of communication so many seem to place their hopes in.
I especially like the Narcissus in the corner - opposite the fish-wrap which exists in defense of the human dignity possessed even by those who some consider enemies. The hangman represents the imprudence which often accompanies social networking. The parrot reflects the state of the blog and social networking - which often amounts to parroting unoriginal material and opinion. The burning tower represents the fall of the proud and arrogant while symbolizing the chaos since 911 in contrast to the often petty disputes and disagreements of 'Christians' online. Opposite, heavily obscured, is a cardinal and a priest - burying the dead - echoing my version of "let the dead bury the dead". The three figures in the crack represent confusion and acts as a warning to not trust online direction and personalities, while maintaining independent thought in freedom of spirit and conscience.
Of course the arm with the donate bowl suggests that everything has a price and bloggers seek to cash in and turn their 'intellectual property' into gold - which echoes the goal of alchemy. It also warns of the temptation to greed and stands in contrast to the demand for alms and support by the real poor, empoverished by war, disaster, and economic collapse.
There are many more layers of meaning, for instance - James Martin is not wearing his glasses - which means he doesn't see things as the rest of the blognic partiers do - and glasses in medieval thought frequently alluded to deception - hence Fr. Martin sans glasses.
Oh - the tortoise - the tortoise represents the confusion of the masses. Oddly enough - we recreate online while the world slips into the new dark ages...
I forgot to add - the fool popping out of the egg - represents folly and vanity, among other things.
Thank you, Terry. I've been fascinated by your painting ever since you posted it. I don't know most of the people, so I am missing a lot of the meaning. But I still like to look at it. For me, it's been sort of like this visual version of missing the punchline: you keep thinking about it, until you finally get it, but by that time everyone else has moved on. :P
This made me laugh. I want an invitation to the blognic. I'll bring the deviled eggs.
Mary Ann - good - it is meant to entertain! You are invited - I love deviled eggs.
Post a Comment