Featured in issue 10 of Catapult Art Mag! http://catapult-mag.com/
Flood gates to the subconscious burst
What do a hermaphrodite bird, a koi fish and exploding light bulbs have in common? They are all the subject of paintings by local artist Carl Ingram. His unique blend of the “dark and edgy” and stunningly beautiful return to Finns in Paekakariki from September the 2nd . For his first solo exhibition in over a year Carl has drawn inspiration largely from the birth of his first son. Richly symbolic figures bathed in light emerge from the darkness. Dancing from the depths of the subconscious to the walls of the living.
The center piece of the exhibition was about 7 months in the making. Titled “The Parent”, it is at first glance a shocking piece. Featuring a human hermaphrodite body with the head of a phoenix and a foetus in the place of a brain. In a raised hand a koi fish is grasped violently, the other hand is pointed downward with an eye in the palm. “The Parent” is a symbolic image that represents the insecurities, fear and rebirth of a person when becoming a parent for the first time.
The phoenix head represents the rebirth and transformative aspect of becoming a parent, while the hermaphrodite element represents the idea that when becoming a parent the father needs to become more nurturing (a feminine quality) and the mother needs to become more protective (a masculine quality). Carl says “The piece's meaning is multi layered. For instance the koi fish can represent providing food & nourishment. But the fish classically can also represent Jesus. So in the context of the painting it could come to mean the providing of morals and spiritual knowledge, as well as physical food.” The sickly foetus in the brain represents the paranoia of not knowing whether your baby is healthy or not. It also represents the fact that during early pregnancy the baby exists largely in your mind and imagination.
Carl is a self taught artist who started painting and exhibiting 5 years ago. Painting with acrylic on canvas, he often starts with a pencil sketch that is then transferred to canvas. The lines of the image are superimposed over a background of broad visible brush strokes. The basic shadows and forms are then built into the canvas followed by a sponging technique to add a faux textural quality. Finally highlights are added and the piece is lightly airbrushed to give a nice smooth finish. The process can take anywhere from a few hours to several months depending on the level of detail.
Carl Ingram's exhibition of new works will open on Wednesday the 2nd of September and will run for six weeks. An opening night will be held at Finns in Paekakariki, open to the public from 7:30pm – 10pm.
What do a hermaphrodite bird, a koi fish and exploding light bulbs have in common? They are all the subject of paintings by local artist Carl Ingram. His unique blend of the “dark and edgy” and stunningly beautiful return to Finns in Paekakariki from September the 2nd . For his first solo exhibition in over a year Carl has drawn inspiration largely from the birth of his first son. Richly symbolic figures bathed in light emerge from the darkness. Dancing from the depths of the subconscious to the walls of the living.
The center piece of the exhibition was about 7 months in the making. Titled “The Parent”, it is at first glance a shocking piece. Featuring a human hermaphrodite body with the head of a phoenix and a foetus in the place of a brain. In a raised hand a koi fish is grasped violently, the other hand is pointed downward with an eye in the palm. “The Parent” is a symbolic image that represents the insecurities, fear and rebirth of a person when becoming a parent for the first time.
The phoenix head represents the rebirth and transformative aspect of becoming a parent, while the hermaphrodite element represents the idea that when becoming a parent the father needs to become more nurturing (a feminine quality) and the mother needs to become more protective (a masculine quality). Carl says “The piece's meaning is multi layered. For instance the koi fish can represent providing food & nourishment. But the fish classically can also represent Jesus. So in the context of the painting it could come to mean the providing of morals and spiritual knowledge, as well as physical food.” The sickly foetus in the brain represents the paranoia of not knowing whether your baby is healthy or not. It also represents the fact that during early pregnancy the baby exists largely in your mind and imagination.
Carl is a self taught artist who started painting and exhibiting 5 years ago. Painting with acrylic on canvas, he often starts with a pencil sketch that is then transferred to canvas. The lines of the image are superimposed over a background of broad visible brush strokes. The basic shadows and forms are then built into the canvas followed by a sponging technique to add a faux textural quality. Finally highlights are added and the piece is lightly airbrushed to give a nice smooth finish. The process can take anywhere from a few hours to several months depending on the level of detail.
Carl Ingram's exhibition of new works will open on Wednesday the 2nd of September and will run for six weeks. An opening night will be held at Finns in Paekakariki, open to the public from 7:30pm – 10pm.