“There’s the whole sense of victory, of ascension, and not necessarily of the religious kind,” he says. Karasick has given his Christ-like figure wings that cannot help but evoke Icarus. However, for Karasick they also allude to the aviation pioneer Otto Lilienthal, the first person to make repeated successful flights with gliders. Although the human desire for flight is often associated with hubris, Karasick sees it as an indication of tenacity and hope, the human desire to escape Earthly constraints. The finished work, The Navigator (2018-19), has a magical alchemic quality to it thanks to the ancient encaustic technique Karasick uses which involves using heated beeswax with tinted pigments. Karasick’s monumental, life-size figure soars above the desolate landscape beneath him, a religious icon transformed into a quasi-mythological being with an uplifting message for a secular age. And an enduring symbol of the power of iconic artworks to continue to stimulate, inspire and awe.
Inspiration: Contemporary Art and Classics is at The Ateneum in Helsinki until 20 September 2020.
If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Culture, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter.
And if you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter, called The Essential List. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday.
"What" - Google News
June 25, 2020 at 03:00PM
https://ift.tt/2Z78JFl
What makes an iconic work of art? - BBC News
"What" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3aVokM1
https://ift.tt/2Wij67R
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "What makes an iconic work of art? - BBC News"
Post a Comment