Thoughts on Artwork on 'Might is Right'

[Merlion]

Some of you may know I have been doing artworks on the general theme 'Our World Today'. I am next thinking of the title 'Might is Right'. But I find it difficult to depict. Thus this call for your suggestions.

One simple idea is to make a big sign with the words 'MIGHT IS RIGHT'.

If I don't want this simple idea, another idea is to have this word sign, plus an image profile.

This profile can show a view at ground level of a nuclear aircraft carrier (http://www.fly-net.org/aeromedia/lb1124.jpg). Or the profile can be a view like this - the signal for a warplane's catapult launch (http://www.espionageinfo.com/images/eeis_01_img0024.jpg)from a carrier deck. The latter is quite dynamic.

Any ideas or comments ?

Edit: May be I should add this. I did think of showing the mushroom cloud from a nuclear bomb, but later rejected this as being less significant.

[fritchie]

Merlion - I try to stay away from suggesting ideas to other artists unless specifically asked, as in a class comment session. But may I remind you of the phrase, "The pen is mightier than the sword." Don't know about nuclear weaponry.

[GlennT]

How about a rock being assaulted by a hammer and chisel? This could also double for the spiral of violence. An innocent rock, trying to mind its own business and meditate on rockhood, suddenly gets violently assaulted by a sculptor wielding a hammer and chisel. Despite what the rock considers its identity has been for the last 300 million years, the "might makes right" impulse of the sculptor changes all of that in an instant, and now the rock has become an object d'art.

[StevenW]

My own take on "might is right" is that it predates written history and so isn't really anything new or profound in regards to signifying "our world today". Maybe that's why you're having a hard time with it. If I were to do "Our world today" I'd put lots of people in boxes all looking at smaller boxes. We spent a few million years evolving in small tribes and now those tribes are fragmented, neatly packaged and boxed up and compartmentalized. We have the family tribe, work tribe, friend tribe and neighbor tribe (the weakest tribe of all ironically as this was much different in the past) the world wide tribe (here) and erm... Well that's our world today.. :)

[Merlion]

Thanks for your responses, Fritchie, GlennT and StevenW.

I am testing the idea with the aircraft carrier catapult lanuch of a warplane. But I add the dramatic effect of a launch at sunset. What I show below are just small paper cut-outs with the intention of sawing bigger ones out of plastic boards.

As mentioned, my intention is to have, in addition to this artwork, a relatively big sign with the words MIGHT IS RIGHT.

Hope you like it.

Incidentally, I am not putting a question mark at the end of the phrase 'Might is Right'. The idea is to leave it to the viewers to interprete this artwork in their own context, although the artwork is intended to be part of the general theme 'Our World Today'.

[cooljamesx1]

It seems that your cocept has something to do with air warfare, but I might still suggest the profile of a battleship or destroyer. these shapes are much more menacing than those you have chosen I think.

The profile of individuals is contrary to your concept, because it seems to remind the viewer that the military is built on regular people. The Image of a large battleship or destroyer is de-personalized and would make a better symbol for the piece in my opinion.

[GlennT]

Good point CJX1. The inclusion of people reminds one that there aree actual serious issues invovlved in the use of force. The title then might need adjustment to " Right Needs Might in Order to Sleep Tight Free From the Fright of Thugs Who Aren't so Bright."

[sculptor]

I wonder at the subtleties inherent in the transformation of the familiar
"Might makes right" (which traditionally runs the gamut from a well armed citizenry defending itself from tyranny to the playground bully)
to your
"Might is right"
(which may imply a preexistent condition or an obligation to might on the part of the righteous)

the warbird does it for me
thoughts of Blake's recent postings

[Merlion]

Thanks CJX, Glenn and Sculptor.

To depict the image of 'Might' in the statement 'Might is Right' in 'Our World Today', I decided to show military power. More specifically it is about firepower.

To show firepower, I have considered showing an aircraft carrier profile. But showing the action of a warplane launch from a flight deck is more dynamic. Using a light box, the image can be silouetted against the sunset sky. This attracts more attention.

The text 'Might is Right' can be read as a proud statement from US political and military leaders. It can also be read as an ironic statement in view of what is happening in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is best not to push my view, but to leave it to viewers to interprete, to think, and to discuss.

[Mr. Malloy]

Brilliant! vitriolic irony. It is a very heavy issue that is bound to effect people in the "gut" as it were. I love that i read it already as being so suggestive without over-simplification. I want to sleep on these ideas. Thanks

[Merlion]

Thanks Malloy. I am glad you like it.

While this artwork continues to occupy my mind, in the meantime, I have been working to make a suitable light box for backward projection of this and other artworks. This picture below is the work-in-progress light-box, size 32" x 32" x 9", with another artwork, a double spiral, on top. Fortunately my carpentry skills, still not very good, are good enough to make this myself.

For making the proper artwork, in addition to the words MIGHT IS RIGHT, I may add to the warplane silouette map of West Asia, like this one below. I'll make this map faint while the silouette and the words are loud.

http://www.stimson.org/images/SouthwestAsiaMap.jpg

My idea for adding the map is to help more viewers catch my point. If some viewers still do not catch the point, I'll have to let it be.

[racine]

ah, the mappa mundi, little changed in centurys. new players on the board however, the skeleton coast of memory.
so it seems you are being more specific this time Merlion. right is quite, well might be possible but effectiveness of message can go awry when directed at individual states. people are not always truly aware of the disasters perpetrated in their own names, on either side/s -it leads to self righteousness, as we know through history thats quite poisonous stuff. i suggest more subtlety. beware the demonstrative.

[Merlion]

Thanks for your comments Racine. My eyes are open and I am not naive about situations locally and globally.

[Merlion]

This is just to mention I am going ahead with pursuing this Might is Right idea. The size is about 32"x32" as this is the size of the lightbox I've made.

I have to paint the profile shapes on a clear plastic sheet. It'll be opaque black for the aircraft and flight deck, translucent grey for the launch signalmen, and faint lines for the map. I have to think through and test these processes out carefully, including the painting sequences. Some of the painting is done by brush, and some by spray can. The problem is that some mistakes cannot be corrected easily. This is the challange of implementing new ideas. It is exciting if it works out well.

Thanks guys for your earlier comments. Wish me luck.

[racine]

dear Merlion, please be careful. you are in danger of becoming a painter!

[Merlion]

Racine, Yes, this artwork requires both masked spray painting and brush painting to pursue my idea or concept. This I don't mind. Actually I may pick up oil painting when I can squeeze in the time.

But I am still not too skillful with painting. It is precisely this deficiency that I made some mistakes a few days ago that cannot be remedied. I now have to do it all over again, hopefully with improved techniques.

Well, we all learn from our mistakes, unfortunately some are painful ones. :o

[Merlion]

I had lots of problem with this transparent artwork on plastic. Paint do not cling to smooth non-porus surface.

Now I have something to show. Still work in progress. See below.

For more than one reason, I reverse the words. The technical reason is that the painted side face in to avoid the paint being scratched off.

The map still have not been painted on. I have to get a faint image effect.

Edit: Want to take part in a game? How many countries can you name on this map? Who can name the most? Let me know if you'd like a more detailed picture.

[evaldart]

Efecctively dramatic Image, Merlion. Very strong.

I live about a 150 miles from New York City in a strange place called Massachusetts. Still dont know what that looks like on a map.

[GlennT]

Merlion:

In order to create a stained-glass effect in a model for a proposal, I had good success using my regular oil-painting paints (Windsor-Newton, etc.) on plastic.

[Merlion]

Ah, that's good to know Glenn. So do you mean you get the see-through stained-glass effect using oil paint on glass? I suppose you thin down the oil color with turpentine first ?

On a different matter, about the map. It is that of S W Asia, from Turkey to Pakistan. I selected the region because this is where, for some reason, most of the troublesome military actions in the world are concentrated.

When I was drawing it by enlargement, I was surprised by the high number of countries in this region.

I bet nobody in this forum can name more than 3/4 of the countries on this map I showed, without referring to anything of course.

[GlennT]

Merlion, I used mostly transparent colors. Some colors have pigments that are more opaque than others, some more transparent. Because I wanted a transparent effect, I either used those types, or I thinned opaque colors by making a glaze by adding an oil, such as stand oil, or some other glazing medium. Turepentine would not have worked as it would attack the plastic, and dries too fast. The oil dries slowly and retains some body to retain the transparent effect.

As for the map, I could do a much better job of naming the countries of asia minor that existed there around the 4th through 1st century BC. Current countries would be tougher...lets see...there's Turkey, Geese, Sniperus, Whatzupistan, Watchyerbackistan, Hurdygurdistan, Loudy Arabia, United Ingrates Republic, Irate, Awreck, Syrious, Bahraining Outside, Guitar, Mr. Jordan, Isunreal, Abandonon, Quebec, Franticartica, and the Peoples Republic of Camels.

[CroftonGraphics]

This is really interesting what you are doing.

I have an interest in the history of the cold war, while not entirey relevant to the middle east issues of now, sorry I go off in tangents-

I always thought the influences of abandoned structures from the 'last cold war' would make good material.

A good book to read is called, 'Survival City' by Tom Vanderbilt, about his account of a journey across America looking at the 'relics' of cold war america.

The worse fear is this still is there and really just a sleeping monster ready to wake again if we are not careful.

It is important to make people especially people under say 25 who do not remember the 80s and how scary it was.

[grommet]

As for the map, I could do a much better job of naming the countries of asia minor that existed there around the 4th though 1st century BC. Current countries would be tougher...lets see...there's Turkey, Geese, Sniperus, Whatzupistan, Watchyerbackistan, Loudy Arabia, United Ingrates Republic, Irate, Awreck, Syrious, Bahraining Outside, Guitar, Mr. Jordan, Isunreal, Abandonon, Quebec, Franticartica, and the Peoples Republic of Camels.
Thanks for the masticated lands of the people. It rated a good laugh.

[Merlion]

I have made more improvements to the artwork. The map is now drawn in properly. See below.

About the countries in the map, I've mentioned Turkey and Pakistan. The others many of us may know are Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia. After these lot, naming them are getting difficult. Who would like to continue?

[racine]

from macedonia accross mesopotamia and persia to the khyber pass into india, thats the empire of alexander the great u r describing there Merlion
dont forget gordium

[Merlion]

It is true Racine my map more or less covers the empire of Alexander of Macedonia at its height, see below.

http://www.loyno.edu/~seduffy/MapImages/AlexanderEmpire321-display.jpg

But the agreement is coincidential. There is a number of reasons why this region has in recent years become the world's most troublesome requiring the most military actions. They mainly have to do with religions, oil and poverty. These have nothing to do with why Alexander decided to spread his empire eastward from Macedonia, instead of spreading westward.

[Merlion]

Merlion, I used mostly transparent colors. Some colors have pigments that are more opaque than others, some more transparent. ...
I Googled and notice there are indeed transparent paints. One example is in this link (http://www.newcastle-arts-centre.co.uk/decorfin%20glass%20paints.htm). Thanks. I'll try to buy some.

[GlennT]

Merlion:

Combining my description and your paint website-sleuthing may have lead you in the right direction for what you need, but to clarify, I was not referring to the types of paints described in the link you posted. The paints I use are regular oil paints for doing portraits, landscapes, etc. on canvas or board, found in any art supply store. It is just that some colors, such as ultramarine blue, alizarin crimson, dioxyline purple, transparent brown, rose madder, etc., are more translucent than other opaque pigments such as cerulean blue, the ochres and other earth colors, the cadmium colors, etc. Someone with a knowledge of chemistry might know why this is.

The translucent effect can be achieved to a certain extent as well by using a small amount of an opaque color in a proportionally large amount of an oil medium, so that when it dries the pigment ends up being suspended in the clear oil with enough space around the pigment particles to give the appearance of translucence.

Or, you can buy the translucent paints on the website. I have used paints like the ones on that website and I don't like them. They are full of toxic fumes, they run, streak, and pool before drying, and the color range is limited. Other than than, they're fine!