Proud Flesh
THE STORY IN THE LAYERS
BEHIND THE TITLE OF " Proud Flesh"
Proud: adjective \ ˈprau̇d \
1. feeling or showing pride
Flesh: noun, \ˈflesh\ 1 a :the soft parts of the body of an animal and especially of a vertebrate; especially :the parts composed chiefly of skeletal muscle as distinguished from internal organs, bone, and integument b :the condition of having ample fat on the body c :skin 2 a :edible parts of an animal b:flesh of a mammal or fowl eaten as food 3 a :the physical nature of human beings b :human nature 4 a :human beings :humankind b :living beings c :stock, kindred 5 :a fleshy plant part used as food;also :the fleshy part of a fruit 6 :an illusion that matter has sensation 7: substance (Reference: merriam-webster.com/dictionary) |
WORDS
I love how the layers underneath is visible through the red layer. Her body looks scarred. It reminded me of the words "proud flesh" in a poem by Jane Herschfield
For What Binds Us
BY JANE HIRSHFIELD There are names for what binds us: strong forces, weak forces. Look around, you can see them: the skin that forms in a half-empty cup, nails rusting into the places they join, joints dovetailed on their own weight. The way things stay so solidly wherever they've been set down-- and gravity, scientists say, is weak. And see how the flesh grows back across a wound, with a great vehemence, more strong than the simple, untested surface before. There's a name for it on horses, when it comes back darker and raised: proud flesh, as all flesh, is proud of its wounds, wears them as honors given out after battle, small triumphs pinned to the chest-- And when two people have loved each other see how it is like a scar between their bodies, stronger, darker, and proud; how the black cord makes of them a single fabric that nothing can tear or mend. Jane Hirshfield, "For What Binds Us" from Of Gravity & Angels. Copyright © 1988 by Jane Hirshfield |
IMAGES
The last image in the series has always been a favourite of mine so I used it as inspiration and loosely painted an outline of the image over all the crazy marks on the painting. I then covered the body with a rich red glaze to let the marks show through.
Something you might not know is that there was another painting underneath "Proud Flesh", a very poor reproduction of the album cover of Red Hot Chilli Peppers. |
THEMES
Scars, strength, pride.