“TALKING TO THE MUSES ABOUT ART ”

Talking to the Muses is a painting that has to be contemplated or much of its message is missed. It is a work mostly about painting and the struggles that a painter must endure and work through to be creative. It is a summary of the twists and turns that an artist encounters along the path of being a painter, with the many obstacles and pitfalls laid out (literally) on the table.

 

The path also contains the tricks and tools used by the muses along the path to paint-hood. Circus tents become floating tents that radiate, while the right playing card seems to be up the sleeve of every participant. One could imagine Van Gogh pulling out a hand full of aces at any moment.

 

The 3 figures clinging to the arid table/landcsape are Brett Whiteley, Jean Michel Basquiat, and Vincent van Gogh. Whiteley and his burnt redhead matches seems fatigued, possibly tired of trying to show the naive and youthful Basquiat how to make a line seductive.

Basquiat points out that he is the black king in the game of art, proudly wearing his crown of dreads and pushing forward the king of clubs. While Van Gogh seems to remain distant, remaining on his own path and perhaps more concerned with getting back to his easel than he is with sharing his ideas or accepting the ideas of others.

Talking to the Muses about Art invites the viewer to sit for the coffee and put some of the pieces of the jigsaw together.

-Dion Archibald resides in Newcastle, New South Wales and is an exhibiting contemporary Australian Artist .