| “Beneath this insanity is the thought that our entire reality is, in essence, a dream or a projection of consciousness that something substantial and possibly spiritual exists beyond the boundaries of our perception.” |
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Eric White, No Neutral Thoughts, 2008. Oil on canvas, 24 x 24 inches. Courtesy of Peter Farrelly.
Author: Eric White
I am fascinated by the idea that our reality is a dream and that something greater exists beyond our perception; that time is not linear and realities overlap. I’m also very attracted to classic American film imagery—it’s aesthetically and symbolically compelling to me. I have an extensive library of books on 40s Hollywood, and I cull from them often. I also work from found photographs, reference shots I take myself, as well as images from my own picture collection. I take visual cues from pop culture, gravitating towards those that are more obscure. I’m also highly inspired by the dream state, and ideas generated there have manifested themselves in my work over the years.
I’ve been working on a series for the past few years called the infinite interior. Someone sits in front of a window and instead of an exterior beyond the window, there is another room, and in that room are more people and another window, and beyond that another room, and so on. I envision a vast complex of interiors that extend indefinitely, and exist in a nowhere space, yet feel familiar because the elements are drawn from known sources. Within this claustrophobic environment, the figures interact awkwardly and indirectly, engaging in absurd melodramas which result in a subconscious psychological war. These recent paintings expand on earlier themes within my work that deal with dysfunctional relationships, as well as childhood trauma and buried emotion. The use of appropriated film imagery serves to further symbolize an invented and idealized “reality,” and combined with invented elements and the occasional reference to 17th century Dutch genre painting, the result is complex; surreal dream scenarios taking place inside an ever-expanding metaphoric self. I suppose it’s an exploration of my internal psychology and my own anxiety and insecurity regarding relationships and life in general. Beneath this insanity is the thought that our entire reality is, in essence, a dream or a projection of consciousness; that something substantial and possibly spiritual exists beyond the boundaries of our perception. Physicist David Bohm postulates that the universe is in essence a holographic projection. Jane Roberts’ channeled metaphysical work, The Nature of Personal Reality, claims that everything we experience is self-generated illusion. Ideas like these, which challenge the traditional paradigm, are very compelling to me. They inspire my own internal vision and have become central to my work.
I’ve been working on a series for the past few years called the infinite interior. Someone sits in front of a window and instead of an exterior beyond the window, there is another room, and in that room are more people and another window, and beyond that another room, and so on. I envision a vast complex of interiors that extend indefinitely, and exist in a nowhere space, yet feel familiar because the elements are drawn from known sources. Within this claustrophobic environment, the figures interact awkwardly and indirectly, engaging in absurd melodramas which result in a subconscious psychological war. These recent paintings expand on earlier themes within my work that deal with dysfunctional relationships, as well as childhood trauma and buried emotion. The use of appropriated film imagery serves to further symbolize an invented and idealized “reality,” and combined with invented elements and the occasional reference to 17th century Dutch genre painting, the result is complex; surreal dream scenarios taking place inside an ever-expanding metaphoric self. I suppose it’s an exploration of my internal psychology and my own anxiety and insecurity regarding relationships and life in general. Beneath this insanity is the thought that our entire reality is, in essence, a dream or a projection of consciousness; that something substantial and possibly spiritual exists beyond the boundaries of our perception. Physicist David Bohm postulates that the universe is in essence a holographic projection. Jane Roberts’ channeled metaphysical work, The Nature of Personal Reality, claims that everything we experience is self-generated illusion. Ideas like these, which challenge the traditional paradigm, are very compelling to me. They inspire my own internal vision and have become central to my work.
