Artist talk by Tom Paiement about his exhibition Poetry & Perversions.
ARTIST STATEMENT
Craziness surrounds us.
Beauty too.
In many forms.
We are complex creatures.
My past work has reflected my awareness of the great schism between man’s actions for good and for evil.
On one hand, we have the ability and desire for one life to be given to save another.
We have the brilliance to transport a manned rocket to the moon.
We see acts of goodness and sagacity all around us.
Yet…
The paradox is that we also have the capability of taking a machete to a sleeping infant’s head.
For shooting a mother with her child in her arms in the back of the head.
In this confrontational, bizarre age we live in where every negative action is broadcast instantaneously, it is imperative to remember that beauty, poetry, and kindness are humanity’s saving grace.
The imagery in this show reflects my thoughts of the past few years.
It reflects my response to returning to my rural home after 20 years working in a studio in the city of Bath. The joy I felt returning to nature was a great surprise. I saw potential paintings in every direction. I returned to drawing from life. I saw endless possibilities within a simple bouquet of flowers. Visual ideas abounded.
Simultaneously, the imagery in this exhibition reflects my reaction to the political climate we are immersed in at the moment. It disheartens and discourages me. The coarseness we are exposed to in much of the dialogue we encounter from our elected officials. Astounding.
The tribal feud paintings are a timely metaphor for this age.
Wrestling, at best, is a most beautiful sport.
However, in this portrayal, it is man bloodying man.
No diplomacy here. No dialogue.
Cain killing Abel.
Let POETRY prevail.
Let PERVERSIONS perish.
~ Tom Paiement