14bclemmer_conspirators_ detail_001

14bclemmer_conspirators_001

Clemmer , Bliss

Bliss Clemmer

American

1988

BFA - Fine Arts

2014

Paintings

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

oil

Conspirators

painting

2014

46.5 x 45.5

Conspirators Exploring deeply personal themes in my work has led me to the realization that my paintings are visual journals which harbor my secrets. It is within these self-created spaces that I may safely confess my innermost thoughts and feelings. The symbols I use in the paintings take on personal meanings that are not easily deciphered by the viewer, allowing me to speak in riddle while still expressing myself thoroughly. I challenge the viewer to interpret the symbols and piece together the narrative that is taking place beneath the surface of the paint. Some of the symbols, such as the bathtub and wrist wraps however, are so unique to my personal experience that they remain subjective – the power resides in the artist as to whether or not I wish to unravel the whole truth. My works become humbling mirrors of my present ability as a painter, showcasing both my skills and shortcomings. I aspire to make work that is genuine, and therefore rely on certain methods such as utilizing hand-drawn underpaintings in my process. Using techniques that are as meaningful as they are complex and difficult has become a source of challenge as well as honest expression in my work. Many contemporary figurative painters trace a projected or gridded digital image onto a canvas in the preliminary stages and rely heavily on the photograph for the duration of the painting process – photorealism cannot exist without these means (Meisel 1980, p. 13). Artists such as Denis Peterson, Bert Monroy and Robert Bechtlehe reduce the painting process to a means of monotonous copying as the original image and technical means reproduce the work effortlessly. In his work, Simulacra and Simulations, Jean Baudrillard describes that the hyperreality of imagery is when the signifiers have no signified, and we are confronted with a superficial reality without meaning or substance, "There is an escalation of the true, of lived experience, a resurrection of the figurative where the object and substance have disappeared…this is how simulation appears in the phase that concerns us—a strategy of the real, neo-real, and hyperreal, whose universal double is a strategy of deterrence," (Baudrillard 1994, p. 7). This is where I believe photorealism and hyperrealism have their weaknesses, as they are tantalizing and convincing on the surface, but in reality, they are nothing more than tedious copies of actual photographs. There is no process that the artist utilizes that is based on nature and knowledge, nor imagination and liberty, but monotonous, technical repetition, dictated by a pre-existing, two-dimensional image – nothing to do with art, and everything to do with ostentatious representation. While Bound and Embrace are passionate and melancholic paintings, Conspirators (fig. 3) is a starker, more satirical piece. A trusted friend and fellow artist, Scott Fleishman, has shared with me, similar attitudes and viewpoints regarding the contemporary art world. This work was inspired by these uninhibited secrets shared between like-minded friends. Modeling for this piece, Scott showed a willingness to participate in my jest. The painting is arranged with a young man wearing a bathrobe, whispering to a mounted deer head, while a pair of crutches lay suspiciously against the wall in the background. The composition intends to express animadversion. The appearance of his face as he gazes upon the viewer is surreptitious and accusatory. The deer receives his message with a faint, amused grin, while its blank, black eyes remain enigmatic as the secret resides with them. The dark space encapsulating the figures creates a clandestine atmosphere, concealing them in a moment of machination. The light is organized in such a way to create a spotlight effect on the young man's face, as if he were caught in a suspicious act. The mischief between them is accentuated by the deer's shrewd expression. The placement of the crutches in the right-hand corner echoes the shape and angle of the figure's hand, creating a sense of reverberation as a secret passes through the ears of the deer. His whispering gesture suggests that what he is saying is private and secretive, even dangerous as indicated by the crutches subtly placed in the right-hand corner. Conspirators investigates these inner conflicts, and challenges my ability, honesty, and integrity of my own work as well as the work of other painters. The taxidermy is depicted as poised and proud; the ears are large and upright, appearing receptive in quality. The faint, grim smile alludes to a subtle inkling of amusement and cynicism. The eyes are painted to create a cold and doll-like appearance with a flicker of light, contributing to the animal's ominous and enigmatic character. This attitude is reflective of how I perceive the contemporary art world and its fallacies. Among my discontent are over-zealous critics and curators wishing to live vicariously through the achievements of others, and figurative painters who receive accolades for overly produced and uninspired work achieved only through digital means. The expression of the deer also resembles how I view myself – at times, unsatisfied with my shortcomings, and fixated on my own imperfections. Conspirators serves as a commentary on painting in general, as an illusion. All paintings, to some extent, are convincing lies and thusly so, we artists are convincing liars creating two-dimensional representations of three-dimensional realities. The tongue-in-cheek composition means to make fun of both the fraudulent "artist" who creates the superficial work and the impressed layman (the viewer) who is allured by the attractive falsehood of the work – the spectator is a fool, but then again, so is the illusionist. The model's seductive appearance speaks to the tantalizing and eye-catching, superficial layers of a finished painting. The crutches represent the dependency on means or methods used to make the creative process easier, faster, and far superior to one's actual skillset and understanding of nature. They also represent the fragility of secrecy, and how easily we can become pariahs in the face of our peers if our mischievous intentions and critical attitudes could be exposed. Paintings can be as distracting and seductive as the male figure in Conspirators, provoking the viewer to fixate on the mere surface quality, ignorant of the inherent processes and meanings associated with the work. I am slighting the act of attributing value on the readily attainable image created by tracing or digital transfer, that I find cheap, rapid, and often, inaccurate. Contemporary artist, Richard Schmid writes, "You will know for certain that you have hit rock bottom the day you project a photo on canvas…and – dare I even say the word – trace it…you might dazzle a layman, for a while, even some of your fellow artists, but you cannot fool yourself entirely any more than you can hide from God" (Schmid 1999, p. 183). Conspirators is indeed, making fun of my own work and my use of metaphor, drama, and embellishment, as well as the works of others. No one is safe, myself included, as I alter the color, intensify the theatricality, and exaggerate the beauty of the figures. This double-edged sword in my work also slices into my own incompetence as an artist, and the annoying sting is meant to remind me of the inadequacies that I too, possess at this point in my career, as I too use the aid of tools such as digital photographs. The figure painted from photo reference and the deer painted from direct observation snicker at my inner-conflict.

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