Redemption

Taking one glance at this picture and I can imagine the viewer thinking: 'Well, this is what Hell must look like'. I can agree with the viewer there. However, as we are aware Hell is fire and brimstone but with all religions and culture Hell can look a little different in some aspects. I was influenced by the works of Hieronymus Bosch who exposed the lusts and flaws in humanity and how easily we can be misled or persuaded by the seven deadly sins. In many ways we covet what may destroy us.
With this work I used the similar philosophy by Bosch, but, as an example, I decided to add elements where people sometimes will walk the idea of the right path in their minds, but inevitably end up getting the bad draw in life, where politics and early European, English colonisation leads to the subjugation of an entire race.

Through our evolution, as depicted in the right bottom side of the picture, man from its earliest beginnings has learnt to fight for its survival, marking the stepping stones to humanity. But in doing so man has become too efficient and has learnt that manipulation of others gains more benefits than just mere survival. So in the end people suffer because of this.
The totem pole in the middle of the picture represents the beginnings of early belief. where our ancestors needed a reason or explanation behind our survival. For example, offering sacrifices, deliverances, using signs from the moon, stars and sun (planetary constellations) can help guide farmers to the right seasons to grow crops and bare fruit. Even to avoid periods of drought. Even though this did not work all the time, our early ancestors assumed that they were being cursed by their gods. And instead offered gifts and sacrifices instead to appease them. So all trespasses and mistakes can be forgiven and they can go ahead living in peace, planting and sowing prosperous harvests.
Jesus on the cross with his arms down instead of being nailed to the cross represents surrender. The common idea in religion that his arms were forcibly outstretched to form the sign of the cross beckons the call that his suffering encompasses all living beings. Here with his arms down, tells us that he surrenders his will once he died and alone he suffers like any human does as an individual. The serpent crawling up the cross states that he too, is not immune to sin or regret. All of the other scenes depicted in the entire work have their own representations but all point towards the same dispositions of human failure, vices and regrets. Redemption after all is what man seeks at the end of his lifetime. Even in hell.

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Marten has been practicing as a self taught artist with Art Theory and practical lessons learnt from private tutoring and mentoring. He gained an interest in art during his teenage years glossing over the works of the known, but deceased artists of Hieronymus Bosch and Goya. To further develop his skills he joined the Access Arts Organization from 2008 learning other theories, approaches and styles of artwork.

His focus shifted towards exploring different boundaries in society adding elements and perspectives such as religion, philosophy, human self-sacrifice, alienation, acceptance and struggle to his work. By doing so he reveals both the positive and negative sides of human nature as the driving force and motivation behind his artwork.
Engaging viewers toward reflecting and interpreting the subject matter in a positive and open-minded manner, helps to reveal the hidden ranges of emotions we carry on a daily basis.

He has displayed artwork at past fundraising events called 'Stages of Life Exhibition' held at Jugglers Artist Space, Fortitude Valley including 2013 MIFQ's (Mental Illness Foundation QLD) 22nd Annual Art Exhibition called 'Kaleidoscope'.
After other displays at smaller private Art Organization galleries, he received an Exhibitionist Finalist Award in the AFTM (Art From The Margins) 'National Biennial Outsider Art Awards 2019' for his work 'Recycling the Problem'. The medium used for this work was a wood lathe, Carving a Jacaranda tree into the wooden bowl with a carving tool and then using pyrography to stencil the outlines of my carving. The Bowl I originally machine lathed from the stump of a Jacaranda tree itself.

The work displayed in these galleries as donations, were primarily focused to raise community awareness of mental health issues and the changing of attitudes in society towards peoples differences.
His work nowadays, predominantly focuses on the 'Cycle of Life' Philosophy. Loosely encompassing Buddhist concepts of birth, life, death, re-birth (re-generation) in our everyday personal lives including of other life forms and the world around us.

Mediums used throughout his career range from a mixture of Acrylic based paints, ink, pastel, pencil and utilizing Multimedia platforms such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.
Only recently has he adopted other elements into his work by creating wood ornamental carvings/sculpting's by repurposing wooden materials.

Through collaboration with my fellow artists in the Access Arts and Art From the Margins (AFTM) organizations, I have gained a unique insight into their world and the possibilities of what has molded them into the people they are today.
Art is more than just a concept and expression. Personally, it is a continual seeking of our own truths within the uncertainty of change.