Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Tainted Grass - Art



Tainted Grass depicts a landscape dominated by grass. Upon looking at the blades of grass lined up against their sky blue background, the viewer immediately notices the gradual change of color in the blades of grass as the eye moves across the painting. The healthy green color of the blades of grass on one end of the canvas is gradually replaced by a sickly pale color tinged with brown. This gradual fading suggests aging and deterioration, and even sickness and contamination. The grass comes to represent people, and their journey from youth to old age, from birth to death, from innocence to corruption.

Yet the journey is not simply one-directional. On the far end of the canvas, beside the greenest, freshest blade of grass is a single, completely brown blade of grass. This blade of grass appears to be dead, or nearly so, particularly when juxtaposed against the young, green blade of grass next to it. By placing this dead, dry blade of grass right beside the youngest blade of grass, the artist makes a statement about the way that life renews itself. Though this brown blade of grass is dying, another springs forth to take its place.

The artist of Tainted Grass has created a moving image that represents the cyclical nature of life. Like the grass in the painting, human life is created and deteriorates, only to spring new life again. This painting is compelling and draws forth a myriad of questions and tangential ideas in the viewer.

©1998-2009 Claretta Taylor Webb. All Rights Reserved

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