shardcore

In contemporary society, pride occupies a strange place betwixt vice and virtue. More often we talk of being ‘proud of who we are’ or ‘proud of our achievements’ in virtuous terms rather than admonishing others for their prideful behaviour.

Jade Goody came to prominence through her appearance on Big Brother, primarily through her profound ignorance. Yet she was clever enough to build a ‘career’ as a ‘celebrity’ and return to our screens in ‘Celebrity Big Brother in 2007. Her shocking racist bullying of her housemate Shilpa Shetty horrified the nation, and saw her rapidly fall from glory - a case where her pride was quite rightly perceived as a sin.



I found her subsequent return tabloid glory, by dint of her illness even more disillusioning than her original rise to fame.

Filed by shardcore at 12:28 pm under Congregation, painting
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As part of my collaboration with Sam Hewitt on the subject of sins and virtues, I have painted my daughter, with her cat Wolfgang for the virtue of ‘kindness’

Kindness is the ultimate social lubricant. Tenderness and concern for others and the world at large is highly prized, in a study of 37 cultures around the world, 16000 subjects were asked about their most desired traits in a mate. For both sexes, the first preference was kindness (the second was intelligence)

Unlike many of the other virtues, kindness appears innate. The adult world of cruelty and egotism makes little sense to a child. It is only with age that we become hardened to the self-centered behaviour of others, and as a result begin to repress the kindness which we produced so readily as children.

Filed by shardcore at 12:21 pm under Congregation, painting
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A painting of Gilly, being patient with Edie, while playing with Donald Ducks.

Filed by shardcore at 11:36 am under Congregation, painting
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Chastity is a pretty unpopular virtue. Outside of the seminary, there are few humans who choose the role of sexual abstinence. Though I’m told it’s popular these days amongst a certain subset of American teenagers.

I have painted Morrissey, who up until quite recently, publicly at least, claimed to lead a chaste life: “I’m just simply inches away from a monastery,” he once quipped.

Once again the silver paint has freaked out my camera - I shall have to invest in a polarizing filter…

Filed by shardcore at 6:00 pm under Congregation, Uncategorized, painting
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My second painting for Congregation. This time it’s one of the virtues, dilligence. I have painted my mother, dilligently sewing - a nod to Vermeer.

Once again, it’s silver stencil and acrylic. I’m liking this style, it reminds me of Daguerreotype photography - all reflection and shimmering contrast distortion. Strangely my digital camera has added a moire pattern - rest assured, the original is unadorned with blue swirls.

acrylic and spray on canvas

Here she is, submitting to a shardcore inquisition.

Filed by shardcore at 4:10 pm under Congregation, painting
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