Shahree Vyaas's Blog, page 20

The Dark Sides of Religion (part 1/5): Ascetism. Mixed technics on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

Since religious fundamentalism is on the rise in all segments of our society, I decided to dedicate some of my artistic reflections to the subject that motivates some extreme fundamentalists to believe that their religion gives them the right to tell everyone else what they are and are not allowed to do and commands them to kill certain non-believers.

One of the effective ways of avoiding any real discussion of religion or discriminating its darker from its brighter side is to define or identify it as “our highest aspiration.” If I view religion as an historic phenomenon in human life, I am more inclined to believe — from what I know of human nature and history — that religion like all other social institutions has its darker as well as its brighter side.

In the interests of intellectual honesty, I must reject the identification of religion with the mere sentiment of benevolence or altruistim. This is of course not a refutation of religion, or of the necessity which reflective minds find to grapple with it. But it indicates that there may be more wisdom and courage as well as more faith in honest doubt than in most of the creeds.

I had some hard time to decide in what order I should publish those reflections, and finally decided to bring them in alphabetical order since I didn’t want to elevate one issue above another one.

The first installation in this series deals with ascetism.

Asceticism, (from Greek askeō: “to exercise,” or “to train”), the practice of the denial of physical or psychological desires in order to attain a spiritual ideal or goal. Hardly any religion has been without at least traces or some features of asceticism. Those who practice ascetic lifestyles often perceive their practices as virtuous and pursue them to achieve greater spirituality. Many ascetics believe the action of purifying the body helps to purify the soul, and thus obtain a greater connection with the Divine or find inner peace.

“Unnatural asceticism”, in contrast, covers practices that go further, and involves body mortification, punishing one’s own flesh, and habitual self-infliction of pain, such as by sleeping on a bed of nails. It is also associated with some darker phenomena such as fanaticism and indoctrination practices.

There exist also secular examples of unnatural ascetism:
A “Starving Artist” is someone who minimizes their living expenses in order to spend more time and effort on their art.
Eccentric inventors sometimes live similar lives in pursuit of technical rather than artistic goals.
“Hackers” often consider their programming projects to be more important than personal wealth or comfort.

The Dark Sides of Religion (part 1/6): Ascetism. Mixed technics on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas.

Since religious fundamentalism is on the rise in all segments of our society, I decided to dedicate some of my artistic reflections to the subject that motivates some extreme fundamentalists to believe that their religion gives them the right to tell everyone else what they are and are not allowed to do and commands them to kill certain non-believers.

One of the effective ways of avoiding any real discussion of religion or discriminating its darker from its brighter side is to define or identify it as “our highest aspiration.” If I view religion as an historic phenomenon in human life, I am more inclined to believe — from what I know of human nature and history — that religion like all other social institutions has its darker as well as its brighter side.

In the interests of intellectual honesty, I must reject the identification of religion with the mere sentiment of benevolence or altruistim. This is of course not a refutation of religion, or of the necessity which reflective minds find to grapple with it. But it indicates that there may be more wisdom and courage as well as more faith in honest doubt than in most of the creeds.

I had some hard time to decide in what order I should publish those reflections, and finally decided to bring them in alphabetical order since I didn’t want to elevate one issue above another one.

The first installation in this series deals with ascetism.

Asceticism, (from Greek askeō: “to exercise,” or “to train”), the practice of the denial of physical or psychological desires in order to attain a spiritual ideal or goal. Hardly any religion has been without at least traces or some features of asceticism. Those who practice ascetic lifestyles often perceive their practices as virtuous and pursue them to achieve greater spirituality. Many ascetics believe the action of purifying the body helps to purify the soul, and thus obtain a greater connection with the Divine or find inner peace.

“Unnatural asceticism”, in contrast, covers practices that go further, and involves body mortification, punishing one’s own flesh, and habitual self-infliction of pain, such as by sleeping on a bed of nails. It is also associated with some darker phenomena such as fanaticism and indoctrination practices.

There exist also secular examples of unnatural ascetism:
A “Starving Artist” is someone who minimizes their living expenses in order to spend more time and effort on their art.
Eccentric inventors sometimes live similar lives in pursuit of technical rather than artistic goals.
“Hackers” often consider their programming projects to be more important than personal wealth or comfort.

Reflections. Mixed technics on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas (2023)

This canvas is a further elaboration upon an earlier work that is called The Zone. While The Zone was a rather formal investigation into color and line, this work gives a more impressionistic interpretation of the point where conscious and subconscious thinking processes confluence.
It is a collection of free associations upon the metaphoric, tectonic representation of the no man’s land between the Noosphere and the individual while imposing stricter geometrical constraints upon the conception of the canvas.

The Decolonization Memorial in Berlin

The 20th century saw the rise of decolonization movements in Africa and Asia, leading to the end of European imperialism in many parts of the world. The decolonization of Africa and Asia led to a deracination of traditional cultures and values.
Unfortunately, the corruption of local leaders in Africa and Asia led to chaos and civil war. Their tribalism was also ridiculed by Western powers, laughing at the nepotism in African and Asian politics. The clown that features at the center of the chimera, reflects the derision of Westerners towards the political class of their previous colonies. The weapon industry continued to fuel these tribal conflicts in the newly independent countries.
Elephants and tigers, once symbols of indigenous strength, were commoditized and used by the third world tourism industry, that struggles to balance progress with preservation. The rise of the Chinese economy and its expansionist policies put further stress on the global economy. Meanwhile, the Western world’s declining superpowers and US exploding public debt create uncertain futuristic prospects.
The legacy of decolonization continues to be a complex and multifaceted issue and this installation tries to reflect that.

The artistic installation consists of three parts: a coiling serpent, a chimera, and a pagoda.

The serpent symbolizes the destruction wrought by colonialism and the danger of weapon proliferation,while the chimera sheds light on Africa’s and Asia’s ongoing struggle for independence,the pagoda on the right showcases the Chinese expansionistic drive (view from different angles)

careerplans are a waste of time. just work till you have a couple of rentals and retire at 40

What is your career plan?

From Lighthouse to Light Buoy. Mixed technics on canvas W 30cm x H 40 cm by Shaharee Vyaas (2023)

Human history and folklore are riddled by tales of sudden climate changes: the Biblical flood that caused Noah to build his arch and Plato´s tale of the city of Atlantis who disappeared into the sea are among the best-known legends. Noah built an arch filled up with stock he would need to start over again. The location of Atlantis was a long-time mystery, till some scientists located in the vast marshlands of the Dona Ana Park in southern Spain a multi-ringed dominion in some mud flats, swamped by a tsunami thousands of years ago. Atlantean residents who did not die in the tsunami fled inland and built new cities there. These tales contain indications of the previous ways people dealt with a sudden climate change
Because climate changes can run over millennia, the idea that human activities could influence that cycle seemed to be farfetched. Till in the 1820s, French mathematician and physicist Joseph Fourier proposed that energy reaching the planet as sunlight must be balanced by energy returning to space since heated surfaces emit radiation. But some of that energy, he reasoned, must be held within the atmosphere, and not return to space, keeping Earth warm. He proposed that Earth’s thin covering of air—its atmosphere—acts the way a glass greenhouse would. Energy enters through the glass walls, but is then trapped inside, much like a warm greenhouse.
This greenhouse effect is at the center of the debate how CO2 pollution of the atmosphere is causing an abnormal and steep rise of temperatures around the planet.

The Bull and the Bear in this painting illustrate both sides of the debate. On one hand the established industrial lobbies and their shareholders, on the other the environmental consequences of their actions.

The Hydraulic Central Processing Unit

This design for an installation features a water driven CPU. The installation draws inspiration from the vastness and dynamism of the ocean, which can be viewed as a gigantic date processor that plays a key role in the regulation of the planet’s ecosystem. The installation reminds us that all life originated in the sea, making it a fitting muse for this piece. The blueprint includes a degenerator, elaborator, and regenerator, all working in tandem to create a truly unique experience. The constantly flowing water adds an element of unpredictable motion, giving the installation an ethereal quality. It explores the intersection between technology and surrealism by blurring the line between the real and the virtual world. Visitors will be taken on a journey through the imagination, exploring the possibilities and limitations of technology as a creative tool. The installation invites viewers to question their relationship with technology and its impact on artistic expression. The exhibit seeks to challenge conventional notions of art and technology, serving as a degenerator of the ordinary and a regenerator of the creative. Through a blend of surrealism, innovation, and Italian aesthetics, this installation offers a thought-provoking experience that will leave a lasting impression on all who encounter it.

Civilization and Cosmos. Part 13: Eris

In this post I want you to bring part 13 and last episode of my latest project (for those who missed out on part 1, more info at the bottom of this post). If you want to hear the audio, just click on the image (duration 150 sec)

Eris. Mixed technics on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas (2023). Collection Civilization and Cosmos part 13

—George Gordon Byron, Lord Byron

Ode to Eris

Ill-minded Eris! Why scourge humankind
Who bowed so low the knee?
By gazing on thyself grown blind,
Thou taught human to see.
With might unquestioned, — power to save, —
Thine only gift hath been the grave,
To those that worshipped thee;
Nor till their fall could mortals guess
Ambition’s less than littleness!

Thanks for that lesson — It will teach
To after-warriors more,
Then high Philosophy can preach,
And vainly preached before.
That spell upon the minds of men
Breaks never to unite again,
That led them to adore
Those Pagod things of sabre sway
With fronts of brass, and feet of clay.

The triumph and the vanity,
The rapture of the strife —
The earthquake voice of Victory,
To thee the breath of life;
The sword, the scepter, and that sway
Which man seemed made but to obey,
Wherewith renown was rife —
All quelled! — Dark Spirit! what must be
The madness of thy memory!

My latest project concerns itself with a multimedia installation that consists of a rotating rhombicuboctahedron that is suspended in a magnetic field. The twelve square faces of the rhombicuboctahedron are carrying an image that represents the mythological aspects of the main celestial bodies that make our planetary system. While the installation makes every two minutes a turn to bring another planet in focus, a melody is played that consists of a classical music tune that is derived from the electromagnetic waves emitted by this particular celestial body mixed with a poem that refers to a specific phase that occurs in every civilization cycle with a reference to the classic European mythology that backs it up. The installation measures about 3 meters over 3 meter. The concept of this installation is founded upon the idea of how the cyclical nature of a multitude of phenomena mirrors circulatory cosmological and biological patterns

Civilization and Cosmos. Part 12: Charon

In this post I want you to bring part 12 of my latest project (for those who missed out on part 1, more info at the bottom of this post). If you want to hear the audio, just click on the image (duration 150 sec)

Charon. Mixed technics on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas (2023). Collection Civilization and Cosmos part 12

The demagogue arrived as their friend
he would restore their honor
make them feel proud
protect their house
give them a job
clean up the neighborhood
remind him of how great mythopoeia once was
clear out the venal and the corrupt
remove anything. They felt was unlike them.
He did not walk in saying
my program means malicious Mass imprisonment
transportations, war and persecution.

a new president emerged overnight
when Mythopia suffered pains of slight
. He ordered his powerful navy
to challenge dystopias Contamay
and expected an easy victory.
How could he forget his country’s lesson?
Dystopian to fend of foreign devils
Fight fiercer than a raging demon.
They shot Mythopia’s fleet to shambles
an all the president’s screaming and all the President’s men
could not put Mythopia’s navy together again.

The Hollow Men by TS Eliot

Mythopia´s president had crossed
With direct eyes, to death’s other Kingdom.
And Mythopia´s civilization went with him.
This was now the dead land
This was now cactus land
there the stone images
were raised, there they received
The supplication of a dead man’s hand
They were the hollow men
They were the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Their dried voices, when
They whisper together
Were quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats’ feet over broken glass, in their dry cellar

My latest project concerns itself with a multimedia installation that consists of a rotating rhombicuboctahedron that is suspended in a magnetic field. The twelve square faces of the rhombicuboctahedron are carrying an image that represents the mythological aspects of the main celestial bodies that make our planetary system. While the installation makes every two minutes a turn to bring another planet in focus, a melody is played that consists of a classical music tune that is derived from the electromagnetic waves emitted by this particular celestial body mixed with a poem that refers to a specific phase that occurs in every civilization cycle with a reference to the classic European mythology that backs it up. The installation measures about 3 meters over 3 meter. The concept of this installation is founded upon the idea of how the cyclical nature of a multitude of phenomena mirrors circulatory cosmological and biological patterns

Civilization and Cosmos. Part 11: Pluto

In this post I want you to bring part 11 of my latest project (for those who missed out on part 1, more info at the bottom of this post). If you want to hear the audio, just click on the image (duration 140 sec).

Pluto. Mixed technics on canvas 45 x 45 cm by Shaharee Vyaas (2023). Collection Civilization and Cosmos part 11

Public Highschool

Condemned to high school,
Teens play dead… suckle…
Till they´re eighteen, or drop out,
Their degrees, useless floormats.

Burned out teachers
Count years left.
Towards retirement.
Give them a stink finger.

Mobsters getting high fives.
Roll about in the sweet peas
Breakdance… now rap some drool…
How crime is cool

Crude liquor,
Narcotics´ stupor,
Bloated heads,
Flashy cars, naked buts.

Narrow minds,
Big egos.
Blue fighting red,
To dead.

My latest project concerns itself with a multimedia installation that consists of a rotating rhombicuboctahedron that is suspended in a magnetic field. The twelve square faces of the rhombicuboctahedron are carrying an image that represents the mythological aspects of the main celestial bodies that make our planetary system. While the installation makes every two minutes a turn to bring another planet in focus, a melody is played that consists of a classical music tune that is derived from the electromagnetic waves emitted by this particular celestial body mixed with a poem that refers to a specific phase that occurs in every civilization cycle with a reference to the classic European mythology that backs it up. The installation measures about 3 meters over 3 meter. The concept of this installation is founded upon the idea of how the cyclical nature of a multitude of phenomena mirrors circulatory cosmological and biological patterns