Artwork Number 17
One Step Ahead | The Sacred Soil
Artwork Description
Michael submitted CONFUSION (an artwork also a part of this exhibition) to a local art society.
It was very different to what they were used to seeing.
The local art society was used to seeing paintings of bowls of fruit, bluebirds and other items that we can all see. They were used to seeing artwork that reflected back items, moments, and objects that are in our everyday world.
Michael’s artwork was abstract.
It was not a reflection of anything in the realm of our everyday world.
Michael overheard the curators of that local art society say “What are we going to do with this?” in regards to his artwork and where they may be about to “fit it in” amongst the others. Of course, they didn't think Michael could hear these remarks. But he did.
Already doubting his ability, and even doubting the whole ‘artist’ title, these comments stirred in him more questions, more confusion and more doubt.
It brought him to the canvas again.
The answer revealed itself.
This artwork (One Step Ahead | The Sacred Soil) is a direct, and rather cheeky response to those comments of “what are we going to do with this” and is Michael’s way of being ‘One Step Ahead’.
Michael says “I was trying to say; let’s kick some arse.”
Michael does not paint the seen. He reveals and paints the unseen.
A bold, bright and Pollock-esk artwork.
For Jessica, it reminds her of her fathers forever drive to bravely be different, wild and bold.
“Add this to the description” dad tells me as he views this piece again….change the title to “The Sacred Soil”.
”The Sacred Soil is the story of the generations of people who occupied the land for 40,000 years.
They have been here so long that they have become physically part of the biology, by diet and waste and being absorbed in to the soil at death.
Land rights is not just about ownership, for the Australian Indigenous they ARE the land, they ARE part of its biology.
This piece is the microbiology in the soil and in the air - that is what this one is.”
Size: 100cm x 75cm
SOLD AT AUCTION - $1650
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