Purity on its Knees - From Fabre to American Spring

Today the moment calls for healing and reconciliation.

This time healing from the memories of what man can do not to lose his possessions. Yet with the speed of innovative performances shocking peaceful citizens, our World seems far from recognizing the homework each of us has, but most urgently short-sided selfish world leaders.

This week’s insurrection at the US Capitol with images of rioters climbing walls and breaking windows at one of the cornerstones of American democracy reminded us one more time why art and literature shall be centered into the quality public education. To be specific, those killings reminded us of the colors of greed and the mosaic of symbols of Jan Fabre:

Jan Fabre: Jewel beetle wings on panel

Jan Fabre is a Belgian multidisciplinary artist known for his performances, sculpture, theater design, and drawings. His works include burning cash and writing the word “money” with its ashes, sculptures depicting brains with religious iconography, and Bic pen drawings. He is known for his dark, provocative performances blurring the boundaries between the stage and life, often involving bodily fluids, nudity, and sexual acts. His domineering, quirky personality has earned him the reputation of an art world rock star.

On one side, we see Jan Fabre with his series bringing to light the dark history of his own country, as he pays homage to the African lands that many European countries, including his own, exploited for the sake of colonialism and imperialism. The visual narrative of his works and the technique and material used reflect deep critism. The preference of jewel scarabs carries the same critical purpose, as jewel beetle wing-cases had mystical meanings in many cultures and have been used to make traditional jewelry materializing the bridge between life and death, the eternal cycle of nature.

Millions of iridescent jewel beetles introduce the viewer to a non-existent zone, somewhere between Paradise and Belgian Congo. Distantly attractive and startling when closely approached, the mosaics depict the logos and products of 19th-century Belgian industrialists, who committed a crime solely for the sake of economic profit.

Jan Fabre not only reveals sensitively the story behind Belgian Congo and consequently the colonial past of his country; the enslavement of millions of Congolese, the greed of the colonial mindset, the stealing of a country’s riches as much as possible and until there isn’t any left... He also transforms native history, criticism, savagery, and terrible ambitions into a powerfully artistic form, making use of symbols, iconography, and unconventional materials.

Yet, on the other side, we see Jan Fabre telling "not so innocent fairy tales" under investigation for sexual misconduct after 20 former members of his Troubleyn troupe, including twelve anonymous sources, signed a letter in the Belgian magazine Rekto:Verso accusing him of sexual harassment and misconduct.

As his mosaics and sculptures made with jewel beetle wing-cases question established symbols, his followers question the dark side of Jan Fabre. With Western democracies confronted with a loss of credibility, this scrutiny is needed such as when Noam Chomsky,91 questions the dark side of the US Foreign Policy after WWII.

Jan Fabre, “In the trenches of the brain as an artist-lillipution” (2009) (image via Rossella Giannone’s Flickrstream)

What happened last week proved that Noam Chomsky once again was precisely selecting his thoughts some time ago before the US Presidential elections, when he stated:

"… the last four years are very much out of line with the history of western democracies altogether. By now, it's becoming almost outlandish. In the 350 years of parliamentary democracy, there's been nothing like what we're seeing now in Washington ... a president who has said if he doesn't like the outcome of an election, he'll simply not leave office."

This week it was so far.

In the end, Trump’s bold attempts to remain the center of attention may be what ultimately gets him wiped out.

Jan Fabre: JUSTICE - PAIX - TRAVAIL, 2012

jewel beetle wing-cases on wood

Painting

Yet what comes next?

Book Many Many Beginnings centered around the question,

"Why is quality education not a common good for world people?"

spots some heavy curtains on our minds:

"The enchanting features of fairy tales can disarm, take us off-guard sometimes; especially if they are used to discreetly shape our consciousness and sub-consciousness for an end. Throughout centuries this indoctrination aimed mostly to conform generations with certain social codes. Although our connectedness can blind us to other moral concerns, our common experiences are often among the most cherished of our lives. Our bee-like nature facilitates not only altruism or heroism but genocide and war, too. Consequently, understanding the power of unified consciousness, and questioning the intention of its originators is important." (Page 6.)

Today, art and literature need to continue their practice as a critic of the past and the sins of our countries and act as a courageous reminder of what man is capable of doing not to lose his power, possessions, and status to achieve what he wants for his selfish motives.

And artists and writers, if they want to be credible, need to be a role model in their lives, if they are serious in their criticism on mentalities being high on symbolism and theatrics, but much lower on substance.