| Understanding the Work of Peter Mc Farland |
| Peter's art is the product of his own musings, a years long internet conversation about painting with Susan R Vesely MArca and an extensive library of figurative art. He has no higher education and no diplomas. It is his fervent desire to enter the pictorial dialogue with notable artists of the past, both in subject and methods. To do this he needed to find ways to represent the great themes in a new way. Unfortunately Ganymede, Dinae and the idols of Tahiti are things of the past and no longer relevant to our lives. Unique individuals, mass culture and the drama of modern humanity are compelling subjects for him. If you look deep into the human condition, you will find themes and images of a timeless nature. The task Peter sets for himself is to bring forward themes like the horror of war from Otto Dix and Goya, the complexity of being a beautiful woman from Klimt and Degas or the understanding of our convoluted psyche as with Munch and Ensor. While at the same time it is imperative that he demonstrate his own unique style and distinctness. In order to fully appreciate what Peter does, it is necessary to understand that he sees reality like an onion, comprised of layer after layer. "There is the public layer of our culture. The layer of the concious concoction we call self, also a layer of instincts and motivations that we, for the most part, can't help and don't understand. Then there is a layer of honesty and a layer of lies, a layer of depravity and yes, also a layer of love, warmth and joy." To see deep into this onion he finds that intuition is of greater value than reason. Subjectivity holds sway over intellectual cleverness. For him "painting is a compulsion, an involuntary act of memory." Peter further believes that an artist has the responsibility to express what truth there is to be found and to enter the public dialogue about the issues of his or her times. "Turning on a light in a dark place is better than trying to impress anyone with abstract sophistication, clever juxtaposition or technical wizardry. Even if the dark place is inside your self." Dr. Richard Rays |
