Recently, the focus of the news are on the election
of the new pope and finally Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected to be the new
leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
In the new pope’s inauguration Mass , we can see
that he was wearing white zucchetto and white mozetta and the cardinals were
wearing red zucchettos and mozetta.they are all well-dressed and they
looked inviolable and stately as usual. This is definetly the the usual image
and impression in people’s mind.
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| Pope Francis in the inauguration Mass |
However, have you ever thought that such a holy and
inviolable religon has their dark side which is another face that seldom unveil
in front of the world?
In Sharon Kopriva’s art world, the religion not
only has bright side , but also can be frightful and dark. She unveil the dark
side of the religion through her art work. Her art work is her faith through
her eyes.[1]
Catholicism Background
Her religion background has built
up since she was small. She went to Catholic school before the Second Vatican
Council. Darkness. Fear. Penance are her earliest impressions[2] towards Catholicism.
Most of her art works are
carrying the same theme – religion and faith, especially Christianism and
Catholicism. However, her art works are also containing some other issues, such
as the primitive, the historic, issues of life and death.[3]
What is the inspiration of her art work
Her art work was influenced by a
trip to Peru in 1982.[4] The mummies she saw in Peru captured her. In
Peru, mummies were symbolic of rebirth.[5] She thinks the mummies are stunning and they later
turned into important elements of her art work.
Secondly, she is highly inspired
and influenced by Joel-Peter Witkin and she admitted that herself. Joel-Peter
Witkin is an photograph and his work often deals with such themes as death,
religion, corpses (and sometimes dismembered portions thereof), and various
outsiders such as dwarves, transsexuals, hermaphrodites, and physically
deformed people.[6]
Their format of art are different and you will have
different kinds of horror and fear when you look at their work, yet the style
and somehow the theme of their art work are quite consistent.
Joel’s work are mostly physically deformed people
and dismembered body while most of the characters of Sharon’s work are
turned into mummies. Both of their work make the audience feel the fear.
 |
| Savior of the Primates - Joel-Peter Witkin |
Moreover, you might also think of Anselm Kiefer
when you look at Sharon’s work because of the depressive and negative feeling
of their art work. Also, we can believe that Sharon’s work is inspired by
Pericle Fazzini.
 |
| The Resurrection - Pericle Fazzini ( sculpture ) |
How Sharon’s work make reference
to other art work /
How does she inspire others
There is no specific artist or art work which is
influenced by Sharon. Her art work generally affect and make reference to
alternative religious art and dark religious art. Also, she raised the public
awareness of the problem of the Christianism and Catholicism. Eg. sexual abuse
children and corruption.
Example of alternative religious art:
 |
| Die Harder - David Mach (sculpture) |
The chosen art work - “Prey
for us”
 | |
| Prey for us - Sharon Kopriva |
There is a cross hanging on the wall, the little
boy is standing under the shadow of the shape of clergy and praying to the
cross. On the wall, there is a phrase- “Prey for us”
Unlike other art works of Sharon, this sculpture is
not in a horrible mummy form, but it is a normal little boy. This sculpture
doesn’t have a ugly face but a innocent one. This is a very symbolic art
work. The symbol of this art work is really obvious and therefore expressing
the theme clearly. It remind us about the sexual abuse case related to clergy.
After the sexual abuse, the kids can will live
under the awful experience for the entire life. Just like how the little boy
stand under the shadow of the shape of clergy. I think this can definitely
reflect the image in the victims’heart.
Besides, the artist trickily play with the
pronounce of the words. The pronounce of “prey” is same as “pray”, however the
meaning is completely different. “Prey” means “to try to deceive or harm weaker
people” whereas “pray” means “to speak to God in order to ask for help”. This
contradiction make this art work more ironic.
For me , sculpture is my favourite form of art, as
when I look at a sculpture I will feel that I m closer to the artist than when
I look at a painting. That is just a personal feeling. Maybe because I think
that sculpture is lifelike, just like they are living creature. More important
the sculpture speaks itself and it is just like telling its own story. I think
the feeling expressed by sculpture is more direct.
Even I am not a christian, Sharon’s work attract
me. I have a very strong feeling when I see her work. I am not sure if I have
even seen anything like this before, I only know I feel creepy and I can feel
the pain and sufferance of the little boy (victims). There is no blood, no dead
body, no mummy, but I have no idea where does my fear come from when I look at
this art work. It feels like you are so hopeless that you cant breath. It is
such an powerful art work that Sharon brings me to her world and I look at
these holy and inviolable religion through her eyes.
How about you ? What do you feel?
Reference:
Here is a youtube link that introduce Sharon's art exhibition
-->Sharon Kopriva en exposiciones de esta
semana.. (Lima, Peru)
but it is in Spanish.
