As You might be able to guess, I've not contributed to this before and to be honest I'm a complete Luddite but it was lovely to meet Anthony at his lecture to the Liverpool Holistic Circle. I'm not a member of the group but was glad of the opportunity as the first book blew me away and I was eager for the second.
I'm an artist and have been working on a series of images over the last few years of ordinary people in everyday situations who are positioned in front of circular objects, circular architectural features or even road signs and the like which give the impression of halos. I've made two books of these saints in the last year and have managed to talk a few people I admire into joining in with the project. After growing up Catholic I couldn't resist the saint symbolism and have, I suppose been trying to show people's higher selves and using the cultural language I understood I was trying to democratise the status of saint.
Anthony was good enough to help me with this even though the only near by circle was the high up clock on the wall- (I was particularly entertained by the clock as Anthony's halo because I'd loved the discussion on time in the first book.) He had to stand on a chair to be in line with it but we both thought it was fun and he was very patient. Actually- it's not even apparent that it is a clock but that's ok. Normally I just present the actual snap-shot, (as If fleeting glimpses of perfection could just be captured that way) but I used my clumsy knowledge of Photoshop software for some reason to play with this so I include the original and the "Daemonic" version. Thanks Anthony...
13 comments:
Oh, that is really lovely, very impressive and potent. My son loves to play with photoshop, and he finds Anthony the most apt of subjects, with his beautiful lips and haunting eyes. You have caught the daemonic in him, very beautiful. Tony is made for photographing, the camera loves the planes and angles of his face. It is a haunting face for certain. No accident that a man who would spin such a thing as the dyad, would himself look to be caught up in its transcendent aspects. It was wonderful of you to post this. My son will certainly want to try his hand at some mutations of it. Thank you for this glimpse of Anthony Peake, one of the most lovely I have seen of him. Fine work, with the true visionary perspective. You have made him look like Dante in the inferno.
What a wonderful interpretation! I love the halo theme and I'll look out for more of your work. The image certainly fits well with the Daemon theme as you've captured something quite ethereal.
Dorje: Welcome and indeed well done, a lovely photo and interpretation.
I echo the words of Susan Marie whose son, Andrew, has produced some remarkable artwork from the photographs of Tony.
(and I'm very proud he's done some of myself as well)
Thank you for sharing this vision of "St Tony of the Wirral"; we see the Daemon-Eidolon Dyad in pristine divinity now by contrasting this image with that of "Stern Tony".
*smile*
hey tony: wats that u have worn?is it a bandgala from India?
and really u look like an Indian prince...
Dorje: Thanks for posting this picture. I am really impressed with it .... has a really strange feeling to it.
SM: Andrew has already taken the picture and added his own magic to it. Very impressive. Indeed one of the images is so good that I plan to have it printed off and framed.
I will thank Andrew personally via email.
ROSH: I adore that whole Indian look. I have many shirts and suits of this style. I find it so elegant yet subtle.
Thanks for your comments guys- As I say I was glad of the help. In the first lot of these pics I did I managed to get The genius Land-Artist Andy Goldsworthy and the brilliant Human rights activist Peter Tatchel amongst others. It's great to meet people you admire and find out that they actually as cool as you imagined, rather than to say, "I'm a bit busy to stand infront of that circular thing for you" (as some people might be tempted to do). I'll be exhibiting the whole set this year hopefully in a small venue in Liverpool and will give notice if anyone would like to see more. I'd be interested to see Andrew's version.
Am going away for a week on a field trip soon so will miss the Borders event unfortunately but will take the new book with me to keep me engaged- Namaste
Dorje: I will be happy to have Andrew send you his rendition. You captured Tony wonderfully and exalted him; my son was awestruck by this latest look of "his Anthony" and that it will be viewed publicly is wonderful. Your Catholicism stands you in good stead as an artist; there is a painting of Dante in the Divine Comedy which this portait of the author is eerily similar to, both in gestalt and in intimation.
Cheers for that- I'll look out for that image and add it to my sketchbook research. (I know nothing about blogging and this is a learning curve for me so I'm not sure if you need my email address to get Andrew's image to me? I can post that up if that's the way it works?)
In Answer to Karl as well I have to say I like the stern image- it makes sense to me. I moved away from catholosism in my late teen and have been practicing Buddhism since. There are many images of different buddhas appearing in both aspects. The peaceful which is more commonly seen and the "wrathful". (These are seen as completely devoid of anger or hatred but forceful, dynamic and powerful.) Vajrapani is a classic example- images of him often shown actually breathing out a beard of fire and in early times assosciated with Hercules. I love these dramatic images of fierce protectors. (That might just be the Artist in me!)
Yes, Dorje, I do need your email address and tried to get it from your blog profile but it was not listed. You can email me at kovalinsky03@gmail.com and I will then have your address, and can send them. My son has a form of subclinical high-functioning autism, and one of the traits is a sort of obsessive nature. He loves to do these photo montages of Anthony and Karl. He has worked your images into them now, so I will send, and you can have a look! Your own work is marvelous!
Wow great images Dorje, and I just love the idea of 'democratising saints' as we are all part of the oneness.
Aloha and welcome!
Gary
Cheers Gary- I've been working on this thinking for a while and it feels like it is backed up and to some extent validated by practicing meditation for the last few years and then again by Anthony's writing from a more scientific dirrection. You're right about the oneness..
Beautiful picture Dorje!
I love your explanation of the Buddhas being depicted as forceful, dynamic and powerful This is what you have captured in Tony. His very essence is expressed. Really lovely, thank you.
Cheers Johar-
I recently read "The Return from Silence (which was excellent) and worked from the Raymond Moody data and quite a few others so thanks for you article above too as I'm quite hungry for that kind of info at the moment-
Cheers
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