daemonicum

[El Chief]

hi folks. this is a short one. i did everything manually, except the face (that was a photograph). painter 7 (some of you will recognize the paper structures :) ). could be a book cover or something like that.

and again: the pentagram doesn't mean anything, so don'd feel offended

http://www.godlessbeauty.de/gallery/daemonicum.jpg

[tegehel]

I would rephrase your last sentence a bit. A pentagram means a lot of things, depending on its orientation, cultural background and use. You might want to say that in your case, it's "only" part of a design, but if it really doesn't mean anything, why using it other than for some shock value?

You can't just assume that people will dismiss a recognizable symbol just because you say so. I would go as far as saying that if someone used a Swastika (not the Indian one, but the Nazi symbol) and then tells me, well, it's really nothing so don't get offended...well I would get offended, not so much because of the subject matter, arguably, but because that person is denigrating its historical significance and all its ramifications, and is telling me what to think and how to interpret my very personal experience (noone views things the same way, just read one of the many threads here.)

I used this extreme example to prove a general point, I wasn't criticizing your piece in particular, I just used it as the catalyst for my argument, since it was available to me.

Of course, one can always find symbolism everywhere, but that's the viewer's prerogative.

As far as the design itslelf, I kinda like the dark shape. I would play with the colors in the background a bit more, but just to experiment.

C.

[darkcult]

Whoa Tegehel, easy there with swastikas and stuff … I mean You have a point but…

By the way I like this one.
Nice one and interesting mood to it too.

:chug:

[tegehel]

I said I would use an extreme example to make a point. I such did. Had I tried to do the same using the Pentagram as an example, I am afraid that the importance of symbolism would have been dismissed rather easily for two reasons: 1) most people only refer to it as a magic or satanic symbol only, thus by association dismissing the argument as being a tad metaphysical if not melodramatic and 2) it is not as powerful as the other example I used, the Swastika, which is infamously well known by everyone. If one use extremes as examples, people will understand better, in my experience.

As a matter of fact, I do have a piece I am working on that uses extremes too, but for a purpose and not shock value. So I am not criticizing their uses (as an artist, how could I?), but I am asking people to carefully think about what they write.

Now understand, and re-read me if you need to, that I have consciously kept the argument apolitical and wish to keep it that way, so I don't really understand the "easy there with the swastikas and stuff..."

C.

[davi]

Please refrain from discussing about the actual symbols of the piece. Talk about the art instead.

Though if you would like to learn about the pentagram/swastika and many other 'misunderstood' symbols go to: http://www.symbols.com/

cool piece El Chief, is there any story behind it or did you just feel the need to do something like this?

[enoc]

cool design i like the face in the bottom right, nicely blended in

:D [TASKINLUDE] (http://active-x.net/taskinlude/) :D

[El Chief]

@tegehel
i think the comparison with the swastika is not adequate, sorry. the pentagram is used in many forms of entertainment (horror movies, books, music,) to express something evil, because consumers are used to it as a symbol of evil. the original meaning of it is far away from the understanding nowadays, but who cares.

i'll try your suggestion with the background colors :) , thx

@darkcult
thx. i visited your website. it seems that our preferences concerning our art are often equal :) ...forever darkness!

@davi
thx. i did this one because the blackmetal- / alternative music scene is one of my target groups, so i thought it would be good to have such a piece in my gallery. they really like pentagrams and turned crosses...some sort of protest or provocation, i guess.
and thx for the link...there are many evil symbols, he, he :evilbat:

@enoc
thx

i really appreciated your comments, as always :)

here's another short one, inspired by the fairy tale: the sleeping beauty (or the clawfinger song :) ). painter 7, photo ref.

rosegrove maze
http://www.godlessbeauty.de/gallery/rosegrovemaze.jpg

[tegehel]

This will be my last post on the subject:

1) If Pentagram represents evil, so is the Swastika (and that for irrefutable historical reasons, so technically, the comparison is adequate.)

2) forget the comparison and the symbolism. My point was that if you intend to show something (a symbol in this case), do NOT tell me it doesn't mean anything. It always does mean something to someone. You can't just assume that people think like you, or will have the same experience looking at something. In other words, don't tell me how to experience the piece or what to think or not think.

3) "but who cares" is exactly the problem. You should care, people should care. People don't and that why we get into arguments.

Well, that's it. I won't talk about this anymore. As for your red piece, I like it. I would rework the flower a bit more to make it more obviously a rose, but other than that, it's a cool idea.

peace,

C.