Analysis of painting

 

The Da Vinci principle the symmetry of man

In order to understand the mind of the subject and keep balance

This is formal teaching - that has been ignored during the contemporary art era.  

The balance of the portraits there is no point in trying to portray a man face on because there are always two sides of man first the youthful complacency one the one side second the intelligent determination on the other.

The combination of the two only occurs with what is in the mind and Archer is foremost in his mind.

Only the most loved and beloved will ever see Chad’s true face full on. So it was important to show both sides of his persona with the uppermost thing in his mind.

Only a lover has the right to see the true face this is why the Mona Lisa is still discussed today.

The integral parts of the painting come into play from the very first leaf on the left hand side (youthful) it is disconnected, it is at the point between life and death (green and dying) foremost in the subjects vision.

Chad shows youthful determination, the shadows show that he is relaxed yet focused. The uniform is on and he begins.  He has his own style in the way his hair is coiffed it is unmistakably Chad. The green leaves that encompass him are all individual, there are no branches, no links.  There are 600 to 800 varieties of leaves it was important that each one of these green leaves, these fresh life giving leaves be not interlinked but completely separate. Thy reflect not only Chad’s individuality but ach Australians’ individuality not one leaf is the same in nature, not one person is the same in our country.  One might say that one leaf is damaged nature does not say that to the central leaves there is one leaf pointing vertically if you look closely it is not connected to the bunch beneath it this is the sign of the individual, the one that makes change.  I attempted to make it as perfect as I could and then strung the bunch or if one likes, society beneath it.

We move to the second portrait of Chad, in this portrait, his jaw is set, the shadow is gone. Science and determination take over because the future depends on what he sees.  The eyes are steeled, the lips pursed. We do not speak of what we know, the green leave surrounding him are becoming more corrupted, because of negligence hence the steely look.

 

We move to the golden leaves. Again, they are what we acknowledge to be the natural progression of things in Australia, the gold does not mean glory, it means death.

The leaves along the bottom of the painting represent the disintegration of our heritage, our land and our values.  They are ready to fall.

We move to the leaves above the portraits, they are for two reasons, first reason is, they represent a crowning glory as all golden laurels in history have been presented to those who would protect us.  But they also transition to the next step and we move to Archer. The one thing in the subjects mind, the thing that he has nurtured from birth, the thing that he will not let go of, a small lovable, wonderful part of any Australian. If these, leaves die so does Archer so does Chad, so does everything we hold dear as Australians Gold is not always glory.

The leaf on the far right, the final piece is subtly reflected in his glasses, scrutinised with a scientists eye. It is a vision, that with the death of nature, we all fall.

 

Archer himself needed to be a separate portrait as is everything that we hold dear in our hearts and minds and he needed to be on a separate piece of canvas placed between the two personas that protect him.  The technique is not photo realism, in truth, in painting him, one could only describe it as chasing the dragon.  The mind and hand became automatic each bit of fur, chased into the next. This a a pure example of the artist's belief in art each stroke must lead into the next, only through that can we understand the fact that he is on a separate piece of canvas and placed between the two personas is the most devastating part of the painting, it gives humanity the chance to tear Archer from the painting and remove him from history.  This is what the subject Chad, is determined not to have happen.

 

One final statement - There is nothing perfect in nature, perfection comes from what we do with it, how we treat it, how we learn from it and how we acknowledge that it rules our lives.  Chad has taught me this.

 

Thank you for sitting and your patience, it has been an honour.