Victory over death 2
Victory over death 2
Exhibition reviewed by Robin Smith
Colin McCahon born NZ 1919, died NZ 1987. Focus Exhibition, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery at Inveresk, Launceston, 16 June to 2 September 2007. The major work in Colin McCahon's Focus Exhibition is titled 'Victory over Death 2'.
Colin McCahon's I AM is one of the treasures of the National Gallery of Australia's collection and regarded by some as the equivalent of Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles 1952: iconic, valuable and controversial. The 2m by 6m painting (synthetic polymer on unstretched canvas) evokes and rewards contemplation.
The I AM comes from Exodus Ch. 3 v.14, and wherever it is quoted, whatever the language, it is always written in capital letters (e.g. The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations). For therein lies the voice - name of God.
The 'I' just off centre is a bright smudgy white which clouds over to a darker grey as the last bar of the 'M' drifts off the canvas.
White painted texts link 'I AM' with Jesus. McCahon's signature has above it 'I am the way, truth, life'.
...but there is more!
On the left, hardly visible, is another giant 'AM', black on velvety black. It reads as a question against the 'I'. Jesus' faint words 'My soul is in turmoil' convey the blackness of doubt and fear leading to the heavenly reply 'I HAVE...AND I WILL', in strong white capitals.
The Bible's first human question 'am I my brother's keeper?' is echoed in scripture as in life, responding to God's call with, 'am I the one?'.
McCahon struggled to find ways of incorporating faith into his art, a struggle shared by other artists. He chose words as others have done - remember 'Eternity'?
McCahon is well known in New Zealand, and I have heard it said 'he was not a Christian', referring to his descent into alcoholism. The catalogue (free while stocks last) states that his Crucifixion; the apple branch was only exhibited once and remained in his studio until his death. Who is to judge? Nothing, however, can detract from this monumental, deeply Christian work. See it if you can!