Brett a'Court: Flesh and Spirit
1 December, 2015 - 17 January, 2016
Boardroom and Little Gallery
Brett a'Court, Enigma (2013), Acrylic, watercolour and mixed media on paper
The intention of my work is to reveal some aspect of what I see as the dazzling darkness of Divine light. Finding motifs and visual language is always difficult. I have been increasingly interested in 'low art' religious imagery with its emphasis on emotion and sincerity to communicate devotion and belief. Catholic and Hindu images have always had a powerful impact on me personally. My own work deals with these images, dissecting the imagery to unveil the fight within, aware also of my place in an Aotearoa, soaked in Maori and Christian spirituality.
The last few years I have been looking into the Catholic ritual of transubstantiation, where celebratory wine and bread becomes the flesh and blood of Christ, and how this ritual has informed my practice. Also some revered paintings that drip blood have given me pause to think.
With my own work I have wanted to transcend metaphors and symbols. The eyes of the viewer, with the faith of the artist, combine to birth a reality that incorporates a Divine power, beyond the surface of materials.
This is my intention, using the narratives from the New Testament, Catholic prayer, Maori mythology, and my own personal faith.
-Brett a’Court, 2015