3 Figures with the Head of John the Baptist(gutter/snipe/will)

Oil on dress pattern and retai l bags (each 200cm x 120cm)

Me an i ng i n C h r i s A nt h e m’s w or k i s c on s t r u c t e d f rom t h e i nt e r s e c t i on s o f b aro qu e f i g u r at i on an d m ar k s o f t r i b a l d i f fe re n c e , u n d e r pi n n e d by t h e u s e o f n on - t r a d i t i on a l s upp or t s t h at m a ke m an i -fe s t a t r iu mv i r at e o f Mar x i s t m o d e s o f pro du c -t i on : an i m a l s k i n s , d re s s p at t e r n p ap e r an d re t a i l b a g s , w i t h t h e i r re s p e c t i v e c on n ot at i on s o f t r i b a l -i s m , d om e s t i c pro du c t i on an d c on s u m e r i s m . T h i s i s n ot t o e x p l a i n aw ay t h e s e s e n s u ou s an d hu m an p a i nt i ng s or c o - opt t h e s e n s at i on t h at i s v i s c e r a l l y t e n d e r. T h e s e are s u bt l e t y c on s t r u c t e d p a i nt i ng s t h at g l i s t e n w i t h a s u r f a c e e n e r g y o s c i l l a t i ng b e -t w e e n t h e p o l e s o f c l a s s i c a l l y r i c i s m an d a n e o - e x -pre s s i on i s t m ar k m a k i ng ; t h e s e are p a i nt i ng s t h at s e t out t o re c on c i l e t h e n e u rot i c s y s t e m of h i s t or i -c a l s i g n i f i c at i on w i t h a d e s i re for s e du c t i on .

T h e t h i n f r a g i l e but t e r- p ap e r o f t h e w or k s on d re s s p at t e r n h av e a s t i l l n e s s an d l y r i c i s m t h at s e e m s i n c ont r a d i c t i on t o v i o l e n c e s u g g e s t e d . In c om m on w i t h a l o t o f p a i nt i ng t h at re tu r n s t o f i g u r at i on t h e s u r f a c e a s a s p a c e o f re pre s e nt at i on i s pro b -l e m at i z e d . A n e r r ant c l a s s i c i s m of t h e o l d m a s t e r s i s c on s t ant l y c an c e l l e d w i t h g e s tu r a l m ar k s t h at s l i c e a c ro s s t h e f i g u re an d g rou n d . In m ore re c e nt p a i nt i ng s on an i m a l s k i n s t h e e p i d e r m i s s c ore d , t at t o o e d an d s t i t c h e d . T h i s s utu r i ng of t h e i m a g e

t h rou g h s e i s m o g r ap h i c m ar k s p oi nt t o t h e f i g u re i t s e l f b e i ng a w ou n d w i t h i n t h e g rou n d . In L a c an -i an t e r m s of t h e b ar re d s u bj e c t ( $ ) – t h e i m a g i n ar y f i g u re “I” c ut o f f f rom i t s i n n at e p ot e nt i a l i t y i n an i ron i c g e s tu re o f s utu r i ng , T h i s s t i t c h i ng b a c k i n o f t h e i m a g e i s t h e r h e t or i c a l d e v i c e t h at g i v e s t h e e x p e c t e d v i o l e n c e o f t h e s e p a i nt i ng s t h e i r f r a g i l e p l e a s u re .

In i nt e r v i e w t h e ar t i s t s ay s o f t h e d re s s p at t e r n s “ I a s s o c i at e t h e p ap e r w i t h my v e r y e ar l y c h i l d h o o d . My m ot h e r u s e d t o t a i l or, an d w e w ou l d g o i n t h e a f t e r n o on s t o l o o k a f t e r t h e s on of a l o c a l d o c t or ; I w ou l d b e g i v e n t h e an at om i c a l b o o k s o f t h e d o c -t or t o l o o k at . I re m e mb e r s i t t i ng on t h e f l o or w i t h t h e s e b o o k s an d t h e m ot h e r w or k i ng s w i t h t h e p a -p e r arou n d . ” At t h e s u b c on s c i ou s m om e nt o f t h e m at e r i a l s s e l e c t i on t h e ar t i s t i s b e i ng b ot h d re s s e d an d d i s s e c t e d . T h i s i s t h e d ou b l e m ov e m e nt o f a c -c e pt an c e i nt o t h e s y mb o l i c ord e r – t o a c c e d e t o t h e l aw of t h e f at h e r ( a c c e pt i ng t h e c i v i l i s i ng ‘ f a l l ’ o f c l o t h i ng ) , w h i l s t b e i ng v i o l e nt l y c ut o f f f rom t h e t o t a l i t y o f re a l t y ( t h e d i s s e c t e d c or p s e ) . As a f ar p oi nt o f or i g i n for t h e s e p a i nt i ng s ( h ow e v e r my t h i c or c on s t r u c t e d t h e or i g i n i s ) t h i s c h i l d h o o d m e m o -r y c ont a i n s a ke y t o u n d e r s t an d t h e t e n d e r n e s s an d i n n o c e n c e t h at s u s t a i n s t h e s e n s at i on of v i o l e n c e a s

“ G r a z e t h e p a p e r w i t h t h e s o u l ’s f o o t , a n d i m m e d i a t e l y t h e f o o t s l i p s .”“ E c o r c h e l e p a p i e r a v e c l e p i e d d e l ’â m e , e t l e p i e d g l i s s e i m m é d i a t e m e n t .”

H é l è n e C i x o u s , “ S t i g m a t a” .

Nasheedoil on dress pattern90cm x 70cm

m e an i ng f u l .

T h e w or k s on an i m a l s k i n s or i g i n at e d f rom 2 0 1 1 / 2 0 1 2 w h e re A nt h e m w or ke d i n Et h i opi a . T h e s e p a i nt i ng s c ombi n e for m s an d p at t e r n s f rom d r aw i ng s m a d e i n s out h e r n Et h i opi a am ong s t t h e t r i b e s o f t h e O m o v a l l e y. T h e ar t i s t b or row s f re e l y f rom m ar k s an d p at t e r n s h e fou n d on b o d i e s o f t h e t r i b e s , t r an s p o s i ng t h e m ont o t h e an am or p h i s m s of t h e w h i t e b aro qu e / c l a s s i c a l f i g u re s ( s e e 3 F i g -u re s w i t h t h e He a d of Jo h n t h e B apt i s t ) . It i s h e re t h at t h e ar t i s t c om e s c l o s e s t t o c o l l ap s i ng n ot i on s rom ant i c n ot i on s o f pr i m it i v i s m an d or i g i n ; t h o s e p ow e r f u l my t h s s t i l l prop a g at e d w i t h ou r ow n c u l -tu r a l l y e n c o d e d n ot i on of “ T h e Fa l l ”. T h i s b or row -i ng of s i g n s f rom t h e ot h e r an d t r an s p o s i ng t h e m i nt o a d i f fe re nt v e r n a c u l ar re m i n d s u s “ L e s Mai t re s Fou ”, or t h e Ha ku a t r a d i t i on of A f r i c a , i n w h i c h , a s a re s i s t an c e t o c o l on i a l i s m n at i v e A f r i c an s w ou l d d re s s an d m i m i c t h e i r c o l on i a l m a s t e r s . How e v e r i n t h e s e p a i nt i ng s t h e d y n am i c i s re v e r s e d , an d i t i s t h e m o d e r n i s t c o l on i a l a d v e ntu re w h i c h s u bju g at e s an d a l i e n at e s i t ow n s e l f t h rou g h i t s ow n f ant a s y o f pr i m it i v i s m an d t h e c ou nt e r p aro d y of a c ar n i v a l o f t h e o t h e r. He re , b e n e at h t h e p e t t i c o at s , t h e ampu -t at e d l e g s tu mp s b e ar t h e re d d ot s an d t r i b a l m ar k -i ng s .

T h i s c o l l i s i on of “c an n i b a l i s m” an d “c ar n i v a l” i s n o m ore app are nt t h an i n t h e s e r i e s on re t a i l b a g s e n -t i t l e d F i r s t w e k i l l t h e m , t h e n w e s u r rou n d t h e m ,

t h e n w e n e g ot i at e ( t h e t i t l e c om e s f rom d r u n ke n j o ke h e ard f rom a Su d an e s e re b e l l e a d e r ) . In t h e s e w or k s b l a c k - h e a d e d c r u s a d e r s for m t h e i r ow n m i -l i t i a . T h e f i g u re s s h are t h e s am e n on c om m it t a l f e e l o f t h e l a t e h o o d e d p a i nt i ng s o f P h i l l ip Gu s t on . T h e s e o d d pu r p o s e l e s s f i g u re s p a i nt e d on b a g s f rom t h e re t a i l c h a i n Z ar a e n c ap s u l at e s om e t h i ng c or r upt e d i n t h e c i v i l i s i ng m i s s i on of g l o b a l i s at i on .

A nt on i o D e v i c i e nt iAut h or & C r i t i c( Tr an s l at e d f rom t h e It a l i an )

From First we kil l them, then we surround them, then we negotiate IIoil on retai l bags (each 64cm x 54cm)

Fledgeoil on dress pattern (240cm x 160cm)

The Joust of Qusayroil on dress pattern (240cm x 160cm)

Misanthrope with DogThe Madonna of Fatmagul

Misanthrope with Goatoil on cow hide (each 200cm x 200cm approx)

The Madonna of Fatmaguloil on cow hide (200cm x 200cm approx)

Misanthrope with Dogoil on cow hide (200cm x 200cm approx)

Misanthrope with Goatoil on cow hide

(200cm x 200cm approx)

H00J I & IIwatercolour on goat skin (100cm x 60cm aprox)

The Maidservants Marriageoil on dress pattern (160cm x 120cm)

Uterineoil on dress pattern (160cm x 120cm)

Judith and her Midservant IIoil on dress pattern (160cm x 120cm)

Chy Colomoil on dress pattern paper (120cm x 100cm)

Gutter(From Three f igures with the head of John the Baptist)oil on retai l bags/dress patterns (200cm x 120cm each)

Snipe (From Three f igures with the head of John the Baptist)oil on retai l bags/dress patterns (200cm x 120cm each)

The Will of Love (From Three f igures with the head of John the Baptist)

oil on retai l bags/dress patterns (200cm x 120cm each)

First we kil l them, then we surround them, then we negotiate IIoil on retai l bags (each 64cm x 54cm)

Judith and her Midservant IIoil on dress pattern (160cm x 120cm)

From First we kil l them, then we surround them, then we negotiate IIoil on retai l bags (each 64cm x 54cm)

4 Woman with dreams of Maritime Escape(U. Stern, Eva K.,Will , Figure with Battleship, Figure with Liner)oil on canvas (each 60cm x 60cm)

Actaeon and his Dogsoil on canvas (290cm x 170cm)

3 Studies , Ain Zhalta, Lebanon(I Don’t Have to Leave, Actaeon, I Wait for the Click

oil on mounted paper (each 200cm x 140cm)

I Wait for the Clickoil on mounted paper (200cm x 140cm)

I Don’t Have to Leaveoil on mounted paper (200cm x 140cm)

Study for Actaeonoil on mounted paper (200cm x 140cm)

Chris Anthem is a painter presently based in Beirut Lebanon. His paint-ings can be found in the collections of their excellencies the Al-Thani Family of Qatar, and private collections in the USA, Lebanon, Norway, Hungary & the UK. He is represented by The Millennium Gallery St Ive’s in the UK. He attended the Slade School of Art, London.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS / PROJECTS

2014

Joust, Minus 5, Beirut, Lebanon (solo)

2013

Fledge, Millennium Gallery, St Ives, UK (solo)Dressage, Budapest Art Factory, Hungary (solo)Beirut Art Fair, LebanonBudapest Art Market, HungaryFreedom From Torture, CMR Gallery, UKWinter Show, Milleniium Gallery, UK

2012

Residence Alia, Chouf Mountains, Lebanon (Artists residency)TR-Fifteen, CMR Gallery, Cornwall UK

2011

Asni Gallery, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (solo)The Fish Factory, Falmouth, UKPlumbline and Orchard Gallery, St Ives, UK

“Joust” is exhibited at Minus 5, Beirut, Lebanon. June 2014