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MANIFESTO OF VISIONARY ART
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Following the same technique, colours of extremely dark tonal value may be laid repeatedly but still transparently over a white or even black ground. This gives us the opposite effect, of the deep rich colours found in the stained glass of cathedrals (blue, crimson), in the iridescent reflections on a black panther's fur or the wings of certain butterflies (violet), in the feathers of certain 'birds of paradise' (emerald), and even in Buddhists' robes (saffron).
Finally, by 'bleeding' all these colours - gradually removing their hue - a negative effect is created which approximates the grey and colourless world described in the visions of schizophrenics - the light-lacking underworld, such as appears in many of Giger's works. Beyond this, a symphony of blacks may be created, with only the slightest hint of colour, to render more macabre subjects.
Through the technology of the airbrush, the basic principles of the Mischtechnik may still be applied, accompanied by some interesting variations. First of all, the airbrush is able to disperse the whites (using such water-based paints as acrylics or ink) in a manner similar to brush-painted tempera, so that the optical greys may still be achieved. Secondly, the succeeding colour layers may also be applied semi-transparently allowing the upper colours to interract with the lower - thus achieving the super-imposed colour mixtures unique to Visionary Impressionism. These, however, appear differently from the glistening depths of oleo-resinous vehicles - thinner and shallower, but more solid and voluminous.
As Giger relates, his first encounter with the airbrush led to a virtual outpouring of the imagination: "Encouraged by a girlfriend, I began some new experiments with the airbrush at the beginning of 1972. A veritable flood of monsters and exuberant baroque decoration was released into my pictures." (107)
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Finally, through computer rendering, a palette extending to millions of colours may be achieved. Forms may be scanned, turned about, echoed and repeated. A multitude of textures, swirls, reflections and perspectives may be created through mathematical mappings. And with animation, the image may even begin to move. The visionary potential of this new medium is still largely unexplored, though Beksinski, Bill Elsworth, Voke, and many others (as yet still unrecognized) are presently expressing their visions in this new art form, whose canvas is nowhere and whose flickering, fleeting images, meanwhile, may be projected everywhere. With no doubt, the computer screen will soon open in our mind new doorways of perception.
END NOTE:
A DEFINITION OF VISIONARY BEAUTY
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Visionary works of art seek a beauty of 'balanced tension'. In the lines, the colours, and the forms there arises, at one and the same moment, a concord and a conflict: what is contrary pushing them apart, and what is common drawing them together once more. All the images of a composition will manifest this tension - the parts struggling to reveal a unified whole; the whole falling once more into scattered multiplicity.
The task then of the artist: to depict a multiplicity of things, yet still manifest the hidden harmony, indeed unity, holding them all together - a unity that we may suddenly see, reminding us of our origins.
L. Caruana
Atelier Fuchs,
Monaco, 2001
For References see next page
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