UNIT 2 Dissertation
UTOPIA OR DYSTOPIA?
LONDON By Stephen Myers BA(Hons) FRSA s.myers1@arts.ac.uk MA Drawing (Part Time)
GLOSSARY UAL-University of the Arts London
“Who knows if life be death or death be life” (Plato 1973b, 492) In the Unit 1 dissertation the idea of life (London) being a departure lounge was presented. A departure lounge with 2 destinations? The conventional orthodox belief of course, is that these 2 destinations are heaven and hell. One of eternal bliss (Utopia) and one of eternal shame (Dystopia). In his book “The self, the soul, and the psychology of good and evil.” Ilham Dilman reflects on the existence of the soul as detached from the human body. He points out what Socrates believed that the soul thrives in disassociation from the body. This disassociation is a person’s detachment from the bodily pleasuresgreed, gluttony, avarice, lust, envy, jealousy etc. In the Phaedo, Socrates maintains that the body is the tomb or cage of the soul and that death is the release. Our lives are taken up and engaged in struggle with each other and the events of our lives.
for others…evil by contrast is repetitive…it revolves around common enemies or hate figures. Thus an evil person’s life moves within a closed space and his actions in that space are repetitive” (Dilman, 2005, p40) “It is true, of course, that we inevitably find ourselves and our identities within the culture to which we belong” (Dilman, 2005, p43)
Many of course, are taken up with that culture and never question its hold over life. Others have questioned and seen the hidden agendas but the struggle is overwhelming and they become passive, then finally there are the minority who escape. This topic has surfaced in both protestant and catholic literature. In Bunyan in “A Pilgrims progress”, and also “the ascent of Mount Camel” by St John of the Cross. Both of whom inspired drawings, “Plan of the road from the city of destruction to the celestial city” by Williams for the Pilgrims progress and “Mount of perfection” by St John of the Cross. “Dying is the release of the soul from its Some of these concepts are examined in Unit cage that is detaching ourselves from these 2 as drawings. In these drawings imagery of things and growing indifferent to them” (Dil- people and place are repeated and revolved man2005, p12) to represent this recurrent struggle and the iconography, symbolism and statuary of the city is depicted in an attempt to convey the It is this struggle that defines us and we are life and experience of life and moreover life given the idea from conventional religious in London. The history of some of these statwriting that we are being tested “as one who ues and places will be examined to see what has gone through fire” (1Corinthians 3:15). they bring to the experience of our lives. Are The result of which is either good or evil. In there common threads and repeating themes a bland existence where there is little tempta- playing out in the life of a city? tion or struggle the resulting outcomes are in- The research involves wandering the city as different. In a place where struggle is intense, a voyeur both drawing and reading the landwhere temptation, avarice, ambition etc, are scape and its stories. There is a description at maximum volume then the outcomes are for this activity, which is known as Psychodramatic. London is such a place. The daily geographer. papers are full of this drama. “One who explores and reports on psycho“Goodness belongs to a morality of love and geographical phenomena.” consists of the capacity to think and care (Coverley, 2010, p93)
“Plan of the road from the city of destruction to the celestial city” by Williams
In his book Psychogeography by Merlin Coverley he states, “Psychogeography seeks to overcome the process of ‘banalisation’ by which the everyday experience of our surroundings becomes one of drab monotony.” (Coverley, 2010, P13) Coverley examines various artists and writers who share a perception of the city as a place of mystery and seek to reveal the true nature that lies beneath.This phenomenon of place as mystery became of interest in 2011 on hearing an unusual story in another great city-Paris. On a visit to Sainte Chapelle, the story of Louis IX was related and his acquisition (for 135.00 livres) of the crown of thorns. In the story, the Latin Emperor of Constantinople, Baldwin I, anxious to obtain funds for his tottering Empire sells the relic, via the Venetians, to the King of France. Louis had the Chapelle built in miraculously short time and the crown arrived in 1239. Of course there are those who would question the authenticity of this crown. What is authentic is the historical events that came to pass after its arrival.
“Mount of perfection” by St John of the Cross.
Soon after its arrival in Paris the Byzantine Empire the former home of the crown, experiences disaster after disaster with the final fall of Constantinople in 1453. Byzantium disappeared. The previous home of the crown was a place full of spiritual activity and legendary saintly characters like St Simeon the stylite, a place of formidable sanctity versus untold debauchery. This all comes to an abrupt end while Paris and its home country set off on a rollercoaster of a journey producing many great saints and sinners, its artistic and cultural life hit highs never seen in its past history. However the fact that is of more interest is how the city itself came to have a unique design feature that mirrored the most important quality of the crown itself. The city is famous for its ‘arrondissements’ or circles. No other City has this feature, the majority preferring a grid formula. What is interesting also is that this can be taken as an example of how an event may well have influenced the city in contrast to the city impacting on event
and experience of the individual. London and its home country have experienced other dramas no less mysterious, which have affected its design and planning. The story of Henry VIII is infamous and known globally. He is known not only for his divorce from his wives but also from another great city, Rome. The aftermath from this event brought about a great distaste of all things Roman and Catholic. This suspicion and rancor existed alongside Britain establishing a global empire. What is fascinating in the story of London’s history is, despite itself, it has always been modeling itself on a Roman formula. This formula re-emerged during the Regency/Victorian period when untold artists and artisans became fascinated by the idea of creating a capital that was befitting an Empire to rival all others including that of Rome. Even earlier than the Victorians, Christopher Wrens unveiling of St Paul’s in 1711 was met with mixed critique, some loved it others hated it.
second language, having overtaken Gujarati and other Asian languages. In the past of course the population of Irish nationals in Britain was huge. Both nationalities have huge allegiance to Rome. That, despite itself, London can never seem to throw off this Roman alliance. In the practical work of Unit 2, the drawing of London’s icons and statuary are core. Many of these statues represent virtues and their polarities of greed, gluttony, avarice, lust, envy, and jealousy. The dual polarities of good and evil and other pole opposites are also examined within this context. Symbols/signs as well as statues will be part of the research. In The encyclopedia of Gangs, hand signs and symbols are mentioned as being part of gang culture. Introduced by black gang members in the mid 50s.
”They use hand signs to communicate messages and identify themselves to other members. This is usually referred to as ‘flashing’ or throwing’ signs” “There was an air of popery about the gilded (Brotherton & Kontos, 2008,p?) capitals, the heavy arches.” Tinniswood (2001) p31 Hand signs are inherent in many cultures and communities. The early Christian saints are In fact Wren hid his design from such critiknown to have been martyred while holding cal observation during its building. Of course 3 fingers up to denote the Trinitarian qualities London’s history with Rome goes back some of a Christian God. (e.g. St Cecilia) time. In building Britain’s Rome could it be Other symbols of good and evil are relpossible that its future may mimic that of the evant. The classic ‘cross,’ and its inversion, story of the true Rome. In the National geowhich popularly, have come to denote Satangraphic program on ‘Rome revealed’, Kiism. The use of black and white mediums eran Bew highlights the fact that because of in drawing will be relevant by way of their Rome’s success it was populated by a variety connotations to good and evil. These ideas of nationalities a fact lost in the mists of time of inversion and turning upside down will be and probably lost on contemporary inhabitpart of the visual imagery of Unit 2 drawing. ants. This is relevant to London’s contempo- The research into London’s statues will also rary story. be relevant. In the Guardian newspaper article of wed 30th January 2013 Robert Booths journalistic “When Queen Victoria came to the throne article describes how Polish is now Britain’s there were only about 20 major statues in
London, but when she died there were over 200, a figure which has since been doubled.” Gloucester & White (1971)
“The figure of peace was critiscised for being too large” Gloucester & White(1971) In the statue a boy is depicted holding the reins of the chariot. The model for the figure was in fact the son of the man who funded the statue Lord Michelham. The drawings executed using this statue present the statue in pole opposite to the drawing of modern warfare namely gang culture in contemporary London. In the book “Encyclopedia of gangs” by Louis Kontos and David C Brotherton by Greenwood press 2008
“Gang boys’ are primarily children of immigrants living in industrial slums, Their participation in gangs is deemed a natural response to the problems and contradictions of ‘The City’,Authors own artwork. their world; a mode of adaption that includes rituals, symbolism, folklore and concepts that Alfred Gilberts Eros statue, Adrian Jones’ Wellington Arch statue and J B provide a basis for solidarity and sense of Bunning’s City of London Dragon statue will collective purpose” (Brotherton & Kontos, 2008 p?) form part of the interplay with drawing the cycle of London’s drama. Alfred Gilberts studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris but developed later in Rome and Florence where he developed a love for the renaissance. The statue of Eros at Piccadilly is a symbol of the virtue, charity, and not the druidic God of Love as many think. It was placed there in honor of the charitable work Lord Shaftesbury took on in creating affordable housing in London, an ever-repeating dilemma of the city. In the drawings the statue is drawn with a pole opposite image of a contemporary figure in an act of violence and hate. Adrian Jones Quadriga statue. The arch was built in honor of victory in the Napoleonic wars. However the statue depicts “Peace descending on the Quadriga of War”
‘Quadriga’,Authors own artwork
This collective purpose is also the purpose of the statue and all nationalistic imagery that imbues a sense of belonging. These statues now seem to be statues of the establishment the pole enemy for the new dispossessed generations. The gangs. Ilham Dilman talks of a person’s ‘pull’ towards good or evil as moral gravity. This determining psychology is in all of us and is partly a product of inherited nature, nurture and environment. “Simone Weil characterizes it as what is natural in us for more than one reason; partly because she thinks of it as combining elements which belong to human nature, in other words that part of our shared nature inherited from our ancestors.” (Dilman, 2005,p131) Like illness our ‘demons’ are genetic. In observing the lives of families there is often a repeated pattern of behavior and outcomes of that behavior. In the TV program “Royal Deaths and disease” by Lion TV production company, (Release 2003) not only are the inherited diseases of the royal family charted down the centuries (hemophilia, bulimia etc) but also the vices are repeated from gluttony to lust. These vices and sicknesses are not unique to royal families but are inherent in all families. “By you th’unborn shall have communion Of what we feel, and what does us befall.” Acroyd, Peter. Hawksmoor, 1985 (p47) What is questioned in the research is could these genetic dramas be also present in place? Could ‘place’ have a character which
reappears as each generation of dwellers occupies the territory? Whitechapel On Sunday 4th October 1936 in Cable Street Whitechapel Oswald Mosley infamously led an anti-Semitic march only to be met by 100,000 anti-fascist demonstrators. In January 22, 2013 Muslim vigilantes proclaimed the same area (Whitechapel) a “Muslim area” The National Front demonstrated in the area at various dates including 1979. The area has “a history which Rachel Lichtenstein describes, “everyone’s and no ones domain’ but this does not stop its inhabitants trying to claim it as their own. “ On Brick Lane by Rachel Lichtenstein The Daily Telegraph 07/08/2007 London has experienced many wars throughout its history and its new battle phenomenon is described in numerous media articles as the ‘post code’ wars where gang is pitched against gang. Old Kent Rd The route by which many went on pilgrimage to Canterbury (mentioned in Chaucer’s Pilgrims Progress) and is now a road where there are more churches than pubs. These include Crossway United reformed church, Family life Christian center, Inspiration House etc. The road is the site of much evangelical activity. The idea of ‘place’ having a character either good or bad is not so far-fetched. “Come no nearer, He said. Take off your shoes, for the place on which you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5)
In many countries it is common for land, houses, and businesses to be blessed or consecrated or deconsecrated. Therefore for “place” to be free of evil there conversely must be land that is not free. This is a theme visited by past artists like William Blake. He was taken up with the idea of sacred Jerusalem descending on profane land around Primrose Hill, Marylebone and Saint Johns Wood. “London’s topography is evoked in unsettling specificity (as Crabb Robinson detected)” The Blake Book p131 “The fields from Islington to Marylebone, To Primrose Hill and St Johns Wood: Were builded over with pillars of gold, And there Jerusalem’s pillars stood.” William Blake ‘Jerusalem’
‘Saints’ Authors own artwork
William Hogarth is another artist who claimed to have seen the sacred amongst the profane, when he claimed to have seen angels in trees on Peckham Rye or his observation of the prophet Ezekiel walking the streets of London. Drawing In Prof Stephen Farthings presentation on Drawing he presented a drawing of Rembrandts’ “women teaching a toddler to walk” He stated that, “Anyone can draw like this. It just takes lots of practice. Anyone can become a drawing machine”. Farthing, 2012 There is an element of truth to this. In the schedule of a maestro piano player, for sure, there is a lot of practice but can you imagine saying to such a musician that ‘anyone can play the piano like you, it just takes practice’? Or describing a maestro, as a pianoplaying machine? The process of practicing drawing is crucial for development and just like practicing an instrument regularly helps improve musical skills so is it important to cultivate an automatic drawing practice. In his book Automatic drawing by Austin Osman Spare & Fredrick Carter the artists promote this type of relentless, continuous drawing. “This means of vital expression releases the fundamental static truths which are repressed by education and customary habit and lie dormant in the mind. It is the means of becoming courageously individual; it implies spontaneity and disperses the cause of unrest and ennui” Spare (No page numbers)
The book promotes many interesting concepts though the final outcomes are somewhat linked to the occult and are mystic in style. The occult will not be an avenue followed, but rather a more orthodox alliance is hoped for. Mystic inspired artwork is a desired outcome from the experimentation. This will be ambitious. However, Automatic Drawing has led to the discovery of a methodology, which answers an original research question. Can a form of meditative mysticism emanate from the practice of drawing? In the life of a person endeavoring to proceed on a spiritual path, there is a lot of praying. In fact as mentioned in the book “The way of the Pilgrim” the pilgrim is fascinated by the exhortation to pray ceaselessly. He takes up a mental chant known as the ‘Jesus prayer’, which transforms his spiritual life. He is transfixed by St Paul’s admonition “to pray without ceasing”. (1 Thessalonians 5:17) This is a spiritual truth also promoted in the Philokalia a compilation of writings from the fourth to the fifteenth centuries. Christianity is not alone in this type of repetitive relentless chanting. It is proposed that this spiritual technique be harnessed to a parallel drawing practice.
In conclusion, the methodologies of unit 2 would include the following; 1-The psychogeographical wandering of London. Researching the symbols, statues and history of the city. Engaging with its past and contemporary narratives. 2-The practice of cultivating automatic and relentless drawing in order to release new possibilities of expression. 3-Parallel spiritual practices that may inform and inspire the narrative and expression of the drawing.
“…I would like to take a closer look at the pilgrims vision of reality, and especially at the process by which he arrives at the mountain and, in the words of Kahil Gibran, “see the beauty of the world,” (p viii)-Walter J Ciszek (Foreword. The way of the pilgrim)
B I B L I O G R A P H Y Ackroyd, Peter (1985) Hawksmoor Penguin Books, London
Jewish cockneys to City slickers Ian Thomson admires an artist’s purposeful meander through the life of east London’s most mythologized street. Telegraph Book review of Thomson, Ian On Brick Lane. Available from Nexis accessed through the UAL e-library accessed on 27/03/2013
Bacovcin Helen (2003) The way of a pilgrim, and the pilgrim continues his way. DoubleAuthor Unknown (2007, Dec 31st) ‘Postday a division of Random House code’ gang rivalry suspected in street murder London Evening Standard Brotherton, David C/ Kontos, Louis (edited Available from Nexis accessed through the by) (2008) Encyclopedia of Gangs GreenUAL e-library accessed on 27/03/2013 wood Press Author Unknown (2013, Jan 30th) ‘Polish Carter, Fredrick & Osman Spare, Austin becomes England’s second language’ The (2005) Automatic Drawing Thame, I-H-O Guardian Newspaper Books Available from Nexis accessed through the UAL e-library accessed on 09/04/2013 Coverley, Merlin (2010) Psychogeography, “Royal Deaths and disease” by Lion TV Pocket Essentials production company. (Release 2003) Richard Bradley, Bill Locke Producers. Channel 4 Dilman, Ilham (2005) The Self the Soul and the Psychology of Good and Evil, London, Rome revealed’, National geographic proNew York: Routledge gram by ‘Kieran Bew Gloucester, Richard & White, Paul William (1971) On Public View Hutchinson & Co Ltd, London. Myrone, Martin (2007) The Blake Book, London, Tate Publishing St Nicodemus & St Makarios (compiled) (1983) The Philokalia ,the complete text. Macmillan Darton & Longman (1974) The Jerusalem Bible, Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd, London Tinniswood,Adrian (2001), His Invention so fertile: A life of Christopher Wren, London:Oxford Press p31 Lichtenstein, Rachel (2007 Sept 1st) From
Prof Stephen Farthing, professor of drawing at the University of the Arts London, Chelsea college of Art. 16/11/2012. Chelsea College of Art. Plan of the road from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City, engraved expressly for William’s Elegant Edition of The Pilgrims Progress,19th Century (engraving) Available from Bridgeman Education Library accessed via UAL e-library on 5th April 2013. Mount of Perfection, after the drawing by St John of the Cross. Available from Bridgeman Education Library accessed via UAL e-library on 5th April 2013.
By Stephen Myers BA(Hons) FRSA s.myers1@arts.ac.uk MA Drawing (Part Time)