I painted two pieces last night. They’re both on the angry side.
My artwork seems to be falling on two sides of the anti-capitalist emotional spectrum lately: rage and horror on the one hand, and on the other hand, faith that humans can get our shit together and support one another to overcome it all. I keep thinking of Gramsci’s well-known statement: “I’m a pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will.” I don’t feel like that exactly; my optimism isn’t a matter of *will* but just bubbles up naturally. It does go against my “intellect” — if I have to look at facts, I do believe that most life on Earth is likely fucked (unless there’s some surprising turn). But I’ve often been wrong. And my intuition still insists on hope.
Anyway these two approaches keep coming out in my work. I’m thinking of grouping and naming them accordingly, with contradictory words or phrases in the spirit of Gramsci’s statement. Maybe “Rage” and “Defiant Heart” or something like that.