Description
1. The Anchoring Point: Ek-Stasis and Contemplation
The heart of your concept lies in the very etymology of ecstasy: ek (outside) and stasis (to stand). You shift this term from its purely mystical association to apply it to an act of psychological and philosophical contemplation: "to contemplate oneself from the outside."
The Concept: This refers to that exceptional moment of withdrawal where the subject observes themselves. I rightly associate it with ecstasy (spiritual or sexual, or from a psychological point of view, or in overcoming pain), but I extend it primarily to the sublimation of the present moment: the acute awareness of the "pleasure of living and being alive."
The Work as Process: The artwork (my revisited piece) becomes the catalyst for this process. It is not the object to be contemplated, but the tool that initiates a conversation between the viewer, the work, and the viewer's "inner, representative self." The Intellectual Approach: In this respect, your approach is purely conceptual. Attention is shifted from the finished object (the image) to the production of meaning that this object generates. The work embodies the process of ecstasy (of "self-transcendence") rather than representing it.
2. The Hybrid Methodology: Palimpsest and "Subrealist Abstraction"
My technique is not simply a stylistic choice; it is the concrete application of your philosophical concept.
Subrealist Abstraction: This term suggests an exploration beneath (sub) apparent realism, rather than beyond (sur). I do not seek to represent the dream, but to unearth the underlying layers of perception, much like gestural abstract expressionism, which reveals the artist's inner movement.
The Acrylic/Digital Palimpsest: The use of the palimpsest (rewriting over a previous layer) is central. Layer 1 (The Past): Van Gogh's work ("Sorrowing Woman"), representing pain.
Layer 2 (The Gesture): My acrylic painting, which evokes abstract expressionism, adding movement and physical emotion.
Layer 3 (The "Reinterpretation"): Photography, digital painting, and minimalist stop-motion animation are added on top.
This hybrid layering (physical and digital) reflects the philosophical duality: the pain of Layer 1 (Van Gogh) is not denied, but it is covered with a new layer of interpretation, a new movement. The minimalist animation forces the viewer into a contemplative state, deconstructing time to better grasp the process of "stepping outside oneself."
3. The Thematic Framework: "Xanthopsia" and the Reinterpretation of Van Gogh
The "Xanthopsia" collection (yellow vision) provides the thematic context that ties everything together.
An Altered and Positive Perception: Xanthopsia is your conceptual filter. It's the utopian idea of finding positivity even in dark moments.
Van Gogh's Duality: I create a parallel. I start with "Woman in Pain" (the dark layer) and apply the "yellow vision" (Xanthopsia) to it. This is a double reference to Van Gogh himself:
He painted pain (Sorrowing Woman).
He is famous for his vibrant yellow (some controversial medical theories even suggest he suffered from xanthopsia).
Coexistence of Opposites: My work does not replace Van Gogh's work; it coexists with it. It illustrates the "tensions and harmonies" of human nature (pain and ecstasy, shadow and positivity) by superimposing my subrealist abstraction onto Van Gogh's figuration.
Conclusion: The Artwork as Dynamic Conversation
My conceptualization demonstrates art's power to reinvent itself. By blending meditative contemplation (the concept of Ek-Stasis) with a digital and hybrid interpretation (the palimpsest methodology), I am not simply paying homage to Van Gogh.
I am using his work as an anchor point to explore the psychology of perception. I am attempting to demonstrate that modern techniques are not a break with the classical, but an enrichment; a new way of seeing that activates a deeper connection with the original work and, more importantly, with the very process of contemplation and self-awareness. My work becomes an active mirror, a device for learning to "stand outside," whether to better understand oneself from a psychological perspective or to transcend pain from a physical one, for example.
Tribute to : Sorrowing Woman
Vincent van Gogh (1853 - 1890), Paris, January-June 1887
pencil on paper, 24.4 cm x 31.1 cm
Credits : Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam (Vincent van Gogh Foundation)
3840 x 2160 px / 4K MP4 / 184 Mo / 8 fps / 1/1 édition