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Babylon
This picture has the feeling of deliberate assembly on at least three
levels.
Conceptually the approach is literary and cerebral, "a pictorial
representation" of the topic. The choice of subject plays directly on
the occurance of the word "mystery" in a passage from the Old Testament.
This passage, with its various ambiguities and allegories,
provides the basis for the picture. Eichenberg introduces his own
symbolism to interpret the "vision" in the text. Skulls represent dead
mortals, lotus's stand for purity, multiple limbs signal the
metaphysics of the central figure.
Artistically the symmetrical composition references both western and
eastern religious allegories and helps integrate the mix of visual
elements. The picture contains a lot of information yet it is well
ordered and carefully staged. It looks more precise than real.
LIghting is adapted to effect. Cool highlights give a porcelain quality
to the bodies of the celestial figures. Earthy color and warm chariscuro
gives an organic quality to the skeletal mortals. The saturated
primaries are kept to broad and well defined areas. The red of the
beast is particularily effective between the cyans of the figures and
the earth tones of the background.
Technically, program loops build pictorial density and invite closer
scrutiny. The approach is to assemble a mix of found and original
objects with well crafted texturing and lighting. The emphasis is on
pictorial effect rather than technical purity. The accompanying text
documents the sources of the various elements as faithfully as it
describes their symbolic meanings.
-Jim
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