These images were not intended to be read as a short course in the most important story in Christianity. But on the occasion, and since they present classic elements of the representation of Passion: A contemporary ABC in Passion iconography.
Purple. The colour of royalty, power, transformation. Of Lent. One figure is slightly separated, confronting the viewer. These are figures in an intermediary state, passaging between two places. Life and death, here and there. Transforming/returning.
A sacrificial lamb, a cooling chamber, a slaughterhouse; presented by Mr. Hitchcock’s First Assistant.
That’s fiction. Fact: Roberto Cuoghi’s Imitation of Christ (2017), a female hand, an absent artist. Christ as crucified lamb. And the viewer killing with their voyeuristic gaze.
Christ, crowned by thorns and grieving. Above, Mary Magdalen, in long hair and lustrous red. The colour of incarnation, sin, the devil, love. Her Lover (pardon: friend) is taken from her, reaching out his hand once more – “Jack, Jack!”. She remains aside. What to await from a world that crucifies your lover? Resignation and faith.
The Messias [artist] is yet to return.
Mino Tristovsky is an Italian artist based in London. His images are characterized by an implied figure, halted suspense, and strong colour markings: a poignant green, red, blue; an orange. The photographs present a moment of encounter with the Unknown. The rest is up to you.
Information and images via Stallmann, Berlin/London, and the artist’s Instagram-account @loveoutcast.
[…] “Here is the man.He’s weary. His weariness renders him quite useless. The man at night, making a pathetic attempt at connection. To connect with anyone in an empty room.Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight? Sometimes the devil will do.“A man can boast of little happiness who does not enjoy the blessing of a friend.”“The intimate sympathy of a fellow mind, a dance partner. “He was so terrible that he was no longer terrible. Only dehumanized. The terrible man bound up by a burden of light and nothing I can do, only my voice saying a few words: bow-tie. Jacket. Boots. Trousers. Socks.At last, he undressed. “Love me tender, love me true, there is nothing I can do.”How is it to touch him … Does he take care of himself? Or why bother?Behold the man’s filth and deprivaty.A man eating alone…. What is he thinking? He is a monster. He’s just an actor. He is a God.” […]
[…] Oranges and snakes, pipes and water pipes, jeans and morning gowns; flowers and fish. Iconography and invention. […]