Mental Pony Race – Contemporary interpretation of Plato’s dialogue Phaedrus and chariot allegory (2012) In Plato’s dialogue Phaedrus Socrates uses a chariot allegory. According to it the human soul consists of a chariot pulled by two winged horses and a charioteer, whose task is to guide the soul to truth. I got the idea to these works when looking at taxi ponies on a small Indonesian tourist island. In the paintings we see only the gilded harness of the ponies. Is the horse black or white? Who or what is holding the reins? Which of the horses leads? Are our desires guided by our inside or outside impulses? What makes us do what we daily do?
MEDIUM: Spray paint, acrylics and gold leaf on MDF DIMENSIONS: 70 x 100 cm YEAR: 2012 GALLERY: Make Your Mark, Helsinki, Finland CREDITS: opening photographs by Umut Kiukas
The island taxi pony with inspiring traditional decorative harnesses
The plan for the series of ten paintings based on photos taken of the ponies
First technique study with aquarelles and gilding
Spray painting with sablonas and free hand
Experimenting with acrylics surface structure and gilding
Detail
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Exhibition opening, photograph by Umut Kiukas
Exhibition opening, photograph by Umut Kiukas
Exhibition recommended in Helsingin Sanomat cultural section. Helsingin Sanomat is Finland's largest subscription newspaper.