On The Allegory of the Cock
MM: You sent a quote to me about the Allegory of the Cave: "... an image of ignorant humanity, trapped in the depths and not even aware of its own limited perspective."
LC: I like that quote. It is dark, and it is "goth". I think of a friend of mine who is a professor in religious history at the Addis Ababa University. He used to talk about the human being as a deficient animal, and he would become very passionate about finding proof of this theory. He says; "A dog from Tokyo meets a dog from London. Do they have any problem communicating? No! But human beings can only make themselves understood with great difficulties. The female body is not made for childbirth. Babies are too big for their anatomy! Women risk an almost 50% chance of dying while giving birth, and the male does not even know exactly when a female is fertile! Tell me, what other animal has to wash in order not to die from a disease caused by bacteria?" And so on... His theory is that although some claim to be created in the image of a perfect God, among the creatures of this planet, we are the least adapted to our environment. The irony, of course, is that our seemingly perfect details, such as the physiognomy of the human eye, is often used as proof of a higher intelligence, power, and purpose.
Me: (I don't completely agree with this professors argument but it's interesting to think about) this is why art is so important... It is a great way to tackle language barriers.
Cherinet has explored the various mediums offered by the plastic arts. Unlike others, she decided not to define herself but to be guided by the urgency of creation. She is neither a painter, nor a photographer, nor a video-maker. Her artistic journey is similar to a quest for initiation, a conscious experiencing of the limitations that, sooner or later, are imposed by any discipline. Whether painting, installation or photography, a range of media has been visited by this artist who always seems to be a step ahead of what she is exploring. It is as if the first thing to avoid is becoming comfortable with hackneyed ideas and too well-known subjects. Indeed, what is art if not the permanent questioning of an established order - the renewed doubt surrounding our own certainties and these truths so easily accepted?
Any learning process no doubt rests on the acquisition of the required techniques and methods, but it must be coupled with a critical mind capable of creating the distance essential for both artistic vision and honesty; in other words, it requires reflection.
MM: You sent a quote to me about the Allegory of the Cave: "... an image of ignorant humanity, trapped in the depths and not even aware of its own limited perspective."
LC: I like that quote. It is dark, and it is "goth". I think of a friend of mine who is a professor in religious history at the Addis Ababa University. He used to talk about the human being as a deficient animal, and he would become very passionate about finding proof of this theory. He says; "A dog from Tokyo meets a dog from London. Do they have any problem communicating? No! But human beings can only make themselves understood with great difficulties. The female body is not made for childbirth. Babies are too big for their anatomy! Women risk an almost 50% chance of dying while giving birth, and the male does not even know exactly when a female is fertile! Tell me, what other animal has to wash in order not to die from a disease caused by bacteria?" And so on... His theory is that although some claim to be created in the image of a perfect God, among the creatures of this planet, we are the least adapted to our environment. The irony, of course, is that our seemingly perfect details, such as the physiognomy of the human eye, is often used as proof of a higher intelligence, power, and purpose.
LC: I like that quote. It is dark, and it is "goth". I think of a friend of mine who is a professor in religious history at the Addis Ababa University. He used to talk about the human being as a deficient animal, and he would become very passionate about finding proof of this theory. He says; "A dog from Tokyo meets a dog from London. Do they have any problem communicating? No! But human beings can only make themselves understood with great difficulties. The female body is not made for childbirth. Babies are too big for their anatomy! Women risk an almost 50% chance of dying while giving birth, and the male does not even know exactly when a female is fertile! Tell me, what other animal has to wash in order not to die from a disease caused by bacteria?" And so on... His theory is that although some claim to be created in the image of a perfect God, among the creatures of this planet, we are the least adapted to our environment. The irony, of course, is that our seemingly perfect details, such as the physiognomy of the human eye, is often used as proof of a higher intelligence, power, and purpose.
Any learning process no doubt rests on the acquisition of the required techniques and methods, but it must be coupled with a critical mind capable of creating the distance essential for both artistic vision and honesty; in other words, it requires reflection.
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