Sunday 16 July 2017

The Sleep of Reason



In making this latest series of composites, I keep thinking of the words that accompany one of Goya's most famous images from Los Caprichos, a series of satirical etchings: el sueño de la razón produce monstruos (The Sleep of Reason Brings Forth Monsters). They somehow seem very appropriate for these Interesting Times of ours, and I might even, um, appropriate them as the title for my own series.


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

It seems to me that a theme begins to materialise in your last collages. Starting with the wasps on June 21 and June 28, I find them more and more unsettling, but in a strangely appealing way. Wasps and swallows which resemble fighter planes, demonic bats, you name it. I'm curious where this will eventually go ...

Best, Thomas

Mike C. said...

Thomas,

I'm probably just giving the Dark Side a little outing, which it needs now and then! I think my visit to the anatomical models in La Specola, Florence last summer may have been the initial stimulus. As to its destination, I'm currently trying to interest some museums in giving me access to the Special Stuff behind the scenes -- these images could be so much better with the use of a tripod (!) and better lighting.

Mike

Anonymous said...

Mike,

you could probably also contact Life Science departments of universities. Despite having studied biology, zoology has never been my thing - but I remember that my university had a collection of specimens. Perhaps you still have some contacts from your employment in the university library?

Best, Thomas

Mike C. said...

Thomas,

It's a thought -- the best specimens are in the Oceanography Department down by the docks, where we do maintain a separate library. I may drop by...

Mike

Kent Wiley said...

Egad! Did I read that right? The mention of a T-R-I-P-O-D? Sounds like a great thing to work on, views of the Special Stuff. Dew Drop Inn.

Mike C. said...

Kent,

Just a test to see if anyone's awake out there...

You're going to have to explain that last sentence though! (Funnily enough, I just read this evening about the Dew Drop Inn in New Orleans, as the scene of Little Richard's first improvised performance of "Tutti Frutti").

Mike

Kent Wiley said...

Yeah, I knew I was being obtuse. Simply seconding the idea that you should stop by the Oceanography Department. And I'd watched "Walk Hard" the previous night, which doesn't have such a reference, but I was "free associating."