The Myth called Closure

This work relates to the human condition. Regardless of belief/denomination, whether it is a self destructive influence such as racism and violence, or following a path supposedly of blissful peace or neutrality. Man at some stage in his life will come across the inevitable end. The man imprisoned is a victim of his own prejudice who stands alone in his jail cell, pondering his own existence by looking at his own reflection in the mirror. He sees his own faults reflecting back at him. It exposes the unavoidable truth about what he has become throughout his belief of racial intolerance. His exploits led to the result of the many victims he has hurt along the way to uphold what he thinks is morally acceptable and right.
Then an image of what he believes he is fighting against reveals itself to his eyes. He notices the Bulger child and a former dictator, President Mugabe, distorting his image. He finds out he is no different or better than his enemies. They are just as tormented or even more so, vice versa, than he is. The truth will set you free. Until it is too late and you have to pay penance for your crimes. Such as this man.
The image of the Virgin Mary with the dollar bills nailed to her hand, while holding the crucifix, within a swastika, represents the saying, 'There is no suffering without belief'. This is not saying you will not suffer without belief'. It is stating that whether you believe in a god, religion , or don't, you will still suffer either way. Such is the nature of the human condition. You can spend all the money in the world to fix your problems, buy a new car, put money into the church as a donation or pay for surgery. But paying for something as always, comes at a cost. Not just financially but on the person as well.
The Priest holding the cross alongside Death who holds a Scythe is pictured as one and the same influence. Religion holds sway over human mortality by possession of the soul. Holding guilt and remorse over the supposed sinner, the man feels he has no choice but to admit his wrongdoings in the eyes of the lord. So when his final judgement comes, he does not have to fear death when passing through to the afterlife with his own idea of heaven in mind.
This is a conversation piece more inclined for an office. The materials I used are cut outs from political and social segments of newspapers, ink and acrylic paints.

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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.