men@war
An interpretation
The triptych men@war is a radically dark composition, which on the one hand appears unambiguous and almost boldly explicit, but on second and third glance opens up profound spaces for interpretation.
Based on abstract symbolism for male and female, men@war plays on the keyboard of a new symbolism fed by science, such as the precise inclination of the central, middle figuration as a reflection of cosmic reality. The triptych forces an intense examination of the fragility of the planet Earth, the destructive power of male energy and the universal, cosmic balance.
MANKIND
The title men@war already suggests a conflict, but in a deeper sense. In addition, the plural 'men' leaves it open whether it is men or humanity itself that is being addressed. It could be humanity's war against nature, or the conflict between masculine and feminine principles in society, or even a conflict within an individual - within ourselves.
The conflict could also be seen in terms of power and responsibility - the 'masculine' energy perhaps representing destruction, exploitation and control, while the 'feminine' energy represents care, creation and preservation.
ECLIPTIC
At first glance, the central figuration appears symmetrical. However, a closer look reveals that the symmetry is shifted, almost torn, and seems to be tilted - it is skewed. This oblique position seems so dominant and powerful, even though it is not usual. There are no 45° diagonals, nor is the diagonal of the But what is the reason for this visual dominance? Further research reveals an angle of 23.5°, or 23.27° to be precise. This is exactly the inclination of the Earth's axis to the ecliptic.
It is precisely this angle, this tilt of the Earth's axis, that we call the ecliptic.
EXODUS
The outer zones to the left and right are dominated by two figures in the form of stylised penis heads, facing each other and ejaculating on each other.
Now it is unmistakably clear: the slanted figure in the centre is a vulva, the red circle seems to be the most vulnerable point, the clitoris - our planet Earth. This central figure combines the individual, the sexual, with the universal and the planetary. It becomes a powerful symbol of fertility, life and the origin of creation, and in its placement at the centre of the image, it represents the planet itself as the source of all life.
However, it appears to be under attack, and the two black areas, top left and bottom right, with their logarithmic arcs, can be interpreted as violently splayed thighs, which here seem to span an almost cosmic space. If you follow the curved edges of the thighs from left to right, you will see the graph of a mathematical function that experiences its discontinuity and abrupt reversal through the entire vertical of the centre of the picture - the universal function of our existence?
An indication of an impending catastrophe, the total rupture or ultimate reversal of an existing system or being - an ecological, social or individual tipping point?
These forms represent a dynamic that seems to be out of control, intensifying the sense of inevitability and threat.
The symbolic representation of femininity is at the centre of the image. The 23.5 degree tilt creates a connection to planet Earth and the cosmic dimension. This suggests a deep connection between femininity itself, our planet and its natural cycles. Fertility, creation and the cycle of nature, but also protection and care.
The confrontation or interplay between male and female energy is immediately apparent here, not only in terms of an external, cosmic conflict, but also in terms of the internal struggle and imbalance between the sexes, gender roles or the dynamic between masculine and feminine energy.
DISTURBANCE
The tips of the penis pointing towards the vulva, depicted at the edges of the images, could be read as the embodiment of aggressive, masculine energy. The ejaculation, staged here as an act of destruction, seems to pose a direct threat to the earth. It is a metaphor for the destructive effects of human - especially male - activity, be it ecological, social or political. The threat of destruction is inescapable and omnipresent. The symbolism of ejaculation, usually associated in art with life and fertility, seems to be reversed here: instead of creation, it brings destruction, a clear criticism of the violence that human civilisation exerts on the planet. Destruction on a small, individual and personal scale thus takes on a cosmic dimension - just as destruction on a large, universal and cosmic scale takes on a very personal dimension.
But there also seems to be hope. At the moment of impact of the male energies at the centre of the action, a circle of light, a sphere of light, seems to be forming. Perhaps free and pure creativity will preserve the fertility of our world, our civilisation and our creative spirit?
DISCONTINUITY
The climate stripes in the background, which seem to link the work to the current climate catastrophe, also refer to the social and political climate of the present and, beyond that, to the traumas and irrationality of our human psyche. The stripes across the surface, reflected around the centre of the picture, make it clear that the destruction and warming is global - a continuum that has gone off the rails. But the mirror motif is also a warning: what man does to the earth, to his fellow man and to himself will inevitably come back to haunt him. The whole process is mirrored on the vertical central axis - a clear indication that whatever event causes us to cross the tipping point, there will be an equally long period of recovery.
Whether man can escape the point of discontinuity of colliding and diverging forces, the point at which the function of life undergoes a total reversal, in one infinity to be reborn in the opposite infinity, whether this indefinable point can be bridged, seems questionable.
CONCLUSION
The composition itself, with its balance between formal rigour and emotional intensity, conveys a clear message: the destructive force resulting from male dominance and disregard for natural creativity is directed against the very source of life - symbolised by the vulva as a synonym for planet Earth. The inclination of the vulva is a subtle reference to the great cosmic interplay being disrupted by human arrogance.
This work is not only a visual representation of power and destruction, but also a critical statement on the current ecological, social and political crisis and the social structures and individual beliefs that cause it. The combination of sexual metaphors with planetary and cosmic references creates a broad field of tension between the deeply individual and the global, the directly tangible physical and the abstract universal, the creative and the destructive. It challenges the viewer not to reflect on man's role in the larger scheme of life - but to ask the specific question of one's own personal role and responsibility.