Marc Aldinger – still-living
© the artist
Still life in the European art tradition is about lifeless and motionless objects. The choice of objects was substantial (often symbolic) and an aesthetic issue. The concern of the painters was on one hand to conceive the objects of nature and everyday life and at the same time to communicate an encoded message.
The issue of still life works in Baroque was the wealth of individuals, of aristocrats and the rich bourgeois. Beside the opulence impermanence was a central aspect in still life works. The opulence was shown by realistic and sumptuous embodiment of grapes, apples, the decoration with flowers, food in abundance and wine in beautiful wineglasses. This display of opulence was sometimes combined with signs of impermanence like dead animals, skulls or a candle.
The work `still-living´ is a contemporary interpretation of the classical still life. It´s not about the richness of individuals. It´s about the richness of our society.The theme of vanitas plays a central role. In the centre of the work is a dead pigeon – as a sign of impermanence of worldly life. Their wings are widly spread. It´s lying on the asphalt. You can see it´s featherfin plumage in all their nuances of colours – beautiful and impermanent.
The whole scenerie is contemplated by a creature in a golden yellow fur – looking through a glas vitrine on still-living.
