Quintessence and a quaternity of j’s: Jung, Jana/Janus and January

Quintessence and a quaternity of j’s: Jung, Jana/Janus and January

1/15/15

Today I am into scheming and dreaming a background thesis for my upcoming solo show at the A.P.E. Gallery, Northampton, MA, slated for April. I want to share some things I have in my immediate mind space at this moment, threading inter-connectedness of my inherent need to understand the essence of being, and creative urge to portray unions of opposites in all of my art. Please see images below of Holier Than Thou & Goodwife Parke, two examples from the ongoing Social Onion series (200+ images) of a singular photo image, measuring 11” x 8.5,” of yours truly, printed and embellished with pen. Also posted below is Birth of Moments, oil on canvas, 40” x 64,” it is a canvas that also addresses concepts of opposites and a notion of time.

Jung
I am interested in what Carl Jung has to say on matters of the human experience, especially in the context of the development of understanding of self. The following quote was something I stumbled on earlier this morn. It fits into the moment as I plan out my show:

“…unless we prefer to be made fools of by our illusions, we shall, by carefully analyzing every fascination, extract from it a portion of our own personality, like a quintessence, and slowly come to recognize that we meet ourselves time and again in a thousand disguises on the path of life.” Carl Gustav Jung, Collected Works 16, Practice of Psychotherapy

Jana & Janus = January
The ancient Roman deities Jana and Janus are the quintessence of metaphors for my immediate project, embodying a balance of opposites. Lunar and solar respectively, they are also namesakes of the month January. While they each have specific qualities and areas of governance, they are both often represented as two faced, looking forward and back. They stand at the portal of the new year, and every moment, ever gazing with age/wisdom from whence they come, while looking forward in the spirit of youth (see image below) to manifest the potential of what is to come.

Holier Than Thou

Goodwife Parke

Birth of Moments

Janus

Using Format