Crossing the Rubicon Gouache on paper 67 x 56 cm 2017
POINT OF NO RETURN
The term 'crossing the Rubicon' means, being at the point of no return. Historically there is a background story. In 49 BC, Julius Caesar's army crossed the Rubicon River in north east Italy. It was considered an act of insurrection and treason, and a declaration of war against the Roman Senate.
When I painted the new work above, I was also thinking about the event horizon, a cosmological term to describe the 'point of no return' at the entry of a black hole. However, a black hole emits nothing, not even light, and my new painting reveals a fire - is this a hopeful sign?
FIRE - HEAT - LIGHT
Despite the fire in Crossing the Rubicon indicating light, the tree-of-life seems threatened, not by a black hole's event horizon, but by another kind of possible point of no return. This point relates to climate change commentary regarding global warming. At what point will it be too hot for humans, and other creatures and plants, to survive? Will we all have time to adjust? Or will we be like the proverbial frog placed in water that is brought to the boil - not noticing how hot it is until too late! Should we develop extremophile characteristics? Maybe we are already mutating? Extremophiles are organisms that survive in extreme environments and temperature conditions. Fascinating critters! Yet, maybe transformation into transhuman/robotic entities is the only way we might survive?
In Crossing the Rubicon a tree-of-life is drawn towards a place where it suddenly erupts into fire. However, whilst fire is destructive, it can also symbolise renewal. Maybe the point of no return can be avoided or maybe it triggers something else, another way of being? Maybe the point of no return, 'crossing the Rubicon', is about social and political will?
Crossing the Rubicon may indicate no return, but it does not negate a future - of some kind.
COSMIC LANDSCAPE
Crossing the Rubicon is another of my cosmic landscapes. You could be looking down from space upon a literal landscape, maybe not even Earth! Or, you could be looking up at a 'spacescape', witnessing cosmic events unfold. Or, maybe looking into a landscape - somewhere. Cosmic perspectives offer intriguing ways to view ourselves, our planet and our universal environment.
Please check out COSMIC FIRE and THE BODY POLITIC
Cheers,
Kathryn
1 comment:
Thank you, Kathryn, for your interpretation of fire as creation for the Tree of Life. Having survived the Cudlee Creek fires of 20 December, we are watching our trees resprout and hoping for a change of heart in the bleakness of our blackened landscape. Volunteers have opened their hearts to support our Recovery Centre, and this outpouring is a sign of community power that was lost. The local art group, Fabrik, put on an exhibit to help us make sense of the next world. I will suggest they look at your blog for this art, using the Rubicon as the point of no return, the name of the military team helping us clean up. Well done. Artists are our treasure. J. Gibbs
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