1st Project from Uni based on finding the true identity of the Cherub. I was always fascinated with the image and was intrigued by how the image and idea of the cherub is used in different ways in different cultures, societies and religions.
The cherub is a prime example of a symbollic scapegoat. It's idea and image has been continually pigeon holed into many different meanings/ characters. The cherub's purpose has been totally distorted from its more obscure origin. In my intiital investigations I attempted to decipher what the image and value of the cherub could be through speed paintings and pastel pieces of cherubs from my magination. The results were a culmination of what I had learnt so far and what I had been conditioned to think by society.
I developed the idea through printing processes and became very interested by often over-worked and distorted images made through continually layering drawings over one another. Etching and silkscreen enabled me to layer many images together, in much the same way that the cherub has been laiden with different meanings.
By the end of the experimenting I became more interested in the confused results of overlaying different silkscreen prints together which referenced the over-saturation of different personas onto the cherub more effectively and moreso than the my earlier deliberate and forced experiments.
The work was intended to be a subtle reference to how an idea can be distorted by religion and culture to suit ideals to it's own advantage- In much the same way that christianity modified many of the ideals of other religions to make it more appealing.
In the final piece, I abandoned the silkscreen process entirely in favour of the acetate screen images which allowed the viewer to see through different transparent images to one dense, indescript final piece.
