SEVENONE (2024) Schilderij door Otrebor

This piece is part of the Umbral collection, which explores states of post-life consciousness where we are confronted by our inner monsters. Once we leave the physical body, our fears, anxieties, anguish, guilt, and unresolved issues have nowhere left to hide, emerging fully exposed, like a skull without skin. The portraits in this collection tell these stories, inviting the viewer to confront their own demons.

"Sevenone" is a critique of mass thinking, which limits the ability to question and prevents the expansion of individual thought. The artwork addresses blind fanaticism, where the collective adheres to a single ideal without reflection and self-criticism, transforming into a homogeneous and uncritical mass.

The artwork also questions the blind judgment imposed on those who do not agree with the same ideals, suggesting that intolerance arises from the inability to reflect on one's own beliefs. "Sevenone" challenges the viewer to examine their own relationship with collective thought, highlighting the importance of criticism, doubt and respect for differences as pillars of real freedom.

Element Analysis
The Background (Copper, Gold and Black):
Copper and gold represent authority, power and wealth, while black evokes mystery, darkness and seriousness. The combination of these colors in the background creates a setting that suggests both opulence and severity. The smoky tone reinforces the tone of secrecy and concealment, as if something was being hidden from direct view.
Visual Environment: The mixture of colors creates a feeling of depth and uncertainty, where the spectral figures seem to float or emerge from a parallel dimension. This play of light and shadow is fundamental to creating the atmosphere of judgment and power that the work suggests.

The 7 Hooded Spectral Beings:
These beings, dressed in red cloaks and gold details, represent figures of authority who, despite being imposing, remain faceless. Red, a color associated with strength, power and also violence, together with gold, which symbolizes prestige and sovereignty, reinforces the idea that these beings embody a dominant and absolute power.
The Absence of Faces: The absence of visible faces is an important detail, as it suggests that these beings do not have a clear identity. They may be representations of systems or ideas that operate without an individual face, perhaps symbolizing institutions or groups that judge and impose their beliefs without reflection on their own failures.

The Atmosphere Created by the Work:
Atmosphere of Hunting and Escape: The work conveys a feeling of being chased, of always being on the lookout for something or someone that absorbs vital energy. The presence of the spectral silhouettes creates a sense of imminent danger and vigilance, as if at any moment something could emerge from the mist to attack or capture.
Impression of Fleeting Movements: The silhouettes appear to flow and blend with the environment, giving the impression that the spectral beings are in constant movement, appearing and disappearing quickly. This intensifies the feeling of restlessness and creates an ambiance that evokes the unknown and unknowable.

Verwante thema's

DarkSpectralFanatismThoughtsDominant