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Surrealism painting addresses PC absurdities

By Stephen Gibb | Published: 24/01/2020

Surrealism painting *

“Keeping it Together, Walking on Eggshells” — Surrealism painting by Stephen Gibb, 36″ x 24″, oil on panel, 2019

I imagine a world where the visually rich language of fairy tales and nursery rhymes extends into adulthood. The traditional nature of this kind storytelling is best presented with visual aids; simple, straightforward text accompanied by fantastic illustrations. In our culture, this is a conventional part of our collective upbringing and experience. These stories often convey lessons, which are coded in familiar, symbolic language, and are likely where we first encounter metaphor and allegory.

We carry these symbolic codes into adulthood—like wolf equals bad, pig equals good. The narratives I deliver in my Surrealism painting utilize this common trove of visual references; however with more mature and timely messages.

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surrealism painting by Stephen Gibb

Keeping it Together, Walking on Eggshells” — Stephen Gibb, 36″ x 24″, oil on panel, 2019

In a world where we have to mind our Ps and Qs, more and more, the notion of political correctness inspired this very literal translation of walking on eggshells (being careful to not offend or do something wrong).

My little monkey on the left is fast-tracking his evolution with some human juice but is he prepared for the balancing act of being human—trying to keep it all together, physically and mentally. Confused, disoriented and without caution the human trundles onward, with no way back and no way to retrace his steps, he navigates the perilous landscape.

I laugh at the Sun in headgear, the egg protecting himself with an eggbeater and the pylon on the precipice. Sometimes the humour just presents itself and I can’t resist. I find that dollops of levity can balance out the serious nature of some of the messages.

The traveller walks in confusion, barely holding his liquefying head from rupture unaware of the solution (the single combination lock) that hovers within reach. All around the landscape crumbles and the very thing that sustains him (bread) self immolates in a futile attempt to mark his passing and leave a trail to return on. Of course the crow and his foreboding symbolism, eats the crumbs to obliterate the path of return.

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See article in Surrealism Today

* Surrealism painting is a dumb term that I would not normally use but may help a search engine land you on this posting.

This entry was posted in Canadian Artist, Canadian painter, Canadian Surrealism, Canadian Surrealist, Stephen Gibb, stephen gibb artist, surreal art, Surrealism, surrealism art, surrealism painting and tagged canadian artist, canadian pop surrealism, canadian surrealism, pop surrealism, stephen gibb, surrealism, surrealism painting. Bookmark the permalink. Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed.
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