The Shuttered House by William De Gouve de Nunques is an intriguing painting with eerie overtones, which I like. In many ways it reminds me of Edward Hopper's Gas, where the road running past the petrol staion disappears into the darkness.
In the forefront of the work, the house is lit upstairs, though a slender tree partially obscures the view we have. The house is bright, though the downstairs appears to be in gloom, and the effect is brightened by the fact that the house is painted pink. To the left, however, and in contrast to this bright side, the house is in darkness, save for one solitary light, swamped by the blackness which surrounds it and obscures. We can with the help of this single light just make out the shape of the rest of the house. But it is the blackness which draws the eyes to the heart of this painting. Is the shuttered house at the front the mask we give to the world, while taking attention from the real darkness of our souls?
What I really like about this painting is what appears to be a shower of stars above the roof of the part of the house in darkness. I was trying to work out what this might be, but, to be honest I am not at all sure. It could even be a flock of seagulls???
So, a house, and do houses breath? The silent vigilance of the insomniac ediface, ever watchful, it sees the people come and go, it witnesses all the dramas of those who inhabit its inner sanctum, yet never yields their secrets. And what is the figure in the bottom left hand corner of the painting. TBC, I have to do some more thinking.
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6 comments:
'There is a silence that comes to a house where nobody sleeps'
A line from a U2 song.
Yes you can 'hear' and feel that silence. Silence actually means a lot to me. When I am working on stuff and it's not happening, I need silence. If I wait it comes to me, that good old hare arrives with the solution or the idea I need, I sign for it, and he goes back to his truck and drives off.
Love your musings here, Sergio.
Don't you just love that art can let us do that?
Axasha.
Yeah, I have always said that the purpose of art is to take us deeper toward a greater knowledge of ourselves, whether that be writing, painting, sculpture, dance, drama whatever.
Still can't help thinking that...no, well I won't go there again...
"...and he goes back to his truck and drives off."
*Snigger*
Axasha.
Sergio, you said:
Thanks a million for the links, I have had a look and, honestly, don't quite know what to make of them - though there is something subconscious about the whole thing. The Shuttered house, how incredibly dark the left hand side of the painting is, contrasts with the lights in the house. I wonder what is going on in there, quite creepy actually. I have only had a quick swatch, but I will look at it again. I am guessing but showing the invisible has that something to do with the subconscious? Sorry, I am not sure.
I said:
So, de Nuncques has you bamboozled then does he? Well good. This kind of art is supposed to make you think - it's introspective and symbolic (de Nuncques' symbolism. There's no right or correct reading of this so don't apologise for bringing something of yourself to it - that's what we're supposed to do!) and lends itself to introspection and analysis using personal symbolism by the viewer. You.
Axasha.
To be honest life has me bamboozled Axasha. I always think I identified so much with Faustus and Marlowe because I am an over reacher, always striving for something which maybe isn't there. As well as being pretty guarded I also think I have that old self-destruct mechanism churning away. But I am intrigued by de Nunques and I want to try and get inside some of his other work not that there is much on the net.
I'll also post this above in case you miss it.
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