The Disquieting Muses
When I came to this spot on the Alanvale TAFE College Campus, the late Autumn sun was producing very long shadows. This shot is the first scene that I saw, and my mind immediately went to the surrealistic paintings of Giorgio de Chirico (1888-1978).
There're two reasons for this: (1) De Chirico's enigmatic surrealistic works are usually set on late afternoons in empty city plazas. There is often a long looming shadow that symbolises a presence; and (2) We have a painting in the style of de Chirico at home by the Australian modernist artist Ernest Smith dating from the 1960s. I bought it specifically because it reminded me of Giorgio de Chirico.
Although he was clearly a forerunner of surrealistic art (later made more famous by Dali, Ernst and Magritte, etc.) de Chirico called his early work Metaphysical Art. Now this is what connects it to the two previous photos in this series today.
Giorgio de Chirico's most famous quote actually brings together very succinctly our theme today:
"There is much more mystery in the shadow of a man walking on a sunny day, than in all religions of the world. To become truly immortal a work of art must escape all human limits: logic and common sense will only interfere."
One more thing: If you enlarge this photograph you will find somewhere (but not too well hidden) a copy of the actual de Chirico painting, "The Disquieting Muses". The title is NOT meant to be ironic either.
The Disquieting Muses
When I came to this spot on the Alanvale TAFE College Campus, the late Autumn sun was producing very long shadows. This shot is the first scene that I saw, and my mind immediately went to the surrealistic paintings of Giorgio de Chirico (1888-1978).
There're two reasons for this: (1) De Chirico's enigmatic surrealistic works are usually set on late afternoons in empty city plazas. There is often a long looming shadow that symbolises a presence; and (2) We have a painting in the style of de Chirico at home by the Australian modernist artist Ernest Smith dating from the 1960s. I bought it specifically because it reminded me of Giorgio de Chirico.
Although he was clearly a forerunner of surrealistic art (later made more famous by Dali, Ernst and Magritte, etc.) de Chirico called his early work Metaphysical Art. Now this is what connects it to the two previous photos in this series today.
Giorgio de Chirico's most famous quote actually brings together very succinctly our theme today:
"There is much more mystery in the shadow of a man walking on a sunny day, than in all religions of the world. To become truly immortal a work of art must escape all human limits: logic and common sense will only interfere."
One more thing: If you enlarge this photograph you will find somewhere (but not too well hidden) a copy of the actual de Chirico painting, "The Disquieting Muses". The title is NOT meant to be ironic either.