The ghost story has been a part of human culture since we've had words and fire. We scare each other in relative safety, around flickering lights, after we have eaten a good meal and are about to bed down for the night: Fantastical tales that give form to sounds in another room, gruesome faces and the terror that they bring.
Just like a dream or a nightmare, these images are important to us. We feed off of them.
They illustrate seemingly ungrounded fears of the natural world, where anything can go horribly, terribly wrong at any given moment. Even when we know it wouldn't make sense in the natural world.
We can't help but think that this world is actually expansive enough to hold in reality what we can conjure in our minds.
The Horror film represents our wildest nightmares in film form: the genre covers the darkest shadows of paranoia, vivid fears that are unfounded and founded, outright hilarity, gruesome fantasies, and off-the-wall what-ifs.
Generally, we live our lives with the expectation that one day, we will meet our death.
It is the only thing certain, as you can actually evade taxes. But regardless of there being something on the other side of this life, our death and final moments can, to varying degrees, occupy our thoughts throughout our lives from the moment we realize that death is unavoidable: Will I be one of those that gets hit by a bus? Or worse yet, will I die at work, my drained-of-life head weighting down a non-sensical series of letters and numbers, endlessly repeating. Will I drop dead in a supermarket whilst holding melons like Uncle Pete?
Or, as we all sincerely wish, will it be a nice peaceful departure asleep at a ripe old age before we are drooling and mindless, crapping our pants and yelling at the cat.
Or could the end have ever been imagined as this badly hilarious, as in, you've always known that one day, yes, you would die...but like this?
In a way, tales of Horror serve to affirm our living moments, to take joy in our breathing and to maybe illuminate that it really ain't that bad. Or to illuminate that maybe it is that bad and to be more aware. That maybe it's not such a good idea to walk alone on a dark street or run up the stairs during a home invasion. Or take into account the reprecussions of your money-making star attraction getting out of hand.
To see images of the artwork, go to wwagallery.com after October 16, 2010, or, to sign up to receive a preview to the show, email Preview@wwagallery.com
It is the only thing certain, as you can actually evade taxes. But regardless of there being something on the other side of this life, our death and final moments can, to varying degrees, occupy our thoughts throughout our lives from the moment we realize that death is unavoidable: Will I be one of those that gets hit by a bus? Or worse yet, will I die at work, my drained-of-life head weighting down a non-sensical series of letters and numbers, endlessly repeating. Will I drop dead in a supermarket whilst holding melons like Uncle Pete?
Or, as we all sincerely wish, will it be a nice peaceful departure asleep at a ripe old age before we are drooling and mindless, crapping our pants and yelling at the cat.
Horror films take this precious jar of curiosity, uncertainty, and fear, and smashes it into a million glittering pieces, poking and relentlessly fingering at that small nerve as if to say, yes, the end will find you, but could you have ever imagined this type of ending? Did you ever think it could be THIS BAD?
Or could the end have ever been imagined as this badly hilarious, as in, you've always known that one day, yes, you would die...but like this?
These fantasies give us a thrill that can range from raucous laughter to creeping nightmares that never leave us... Or simple lessons such as: Don't Go Upstairs When Chased, Moron!
We have asked over 40 artists to pay homage to Horror films and celebrate this awesome and unique genre. The films and characters chosen range from the iconic to the more obscure.
In a way, tales of Horror serve to affirm our living moments, to take joy in our breathing and to maybe illuminate that it really ain't that bad. Or to illuminate that maybe it is that bad and to be more aware. That maybe it's not such a good idea to walk alone on a dark street or run up the stairs during a home invasion. Or take into account the reprecussions of your money-making star attraction getting out of hand.
The images of Horror film stills and characters represent the homages being paid by over 40 artists at WWA gallery on Friday, October 15th, 2010 in Culver City, California.
All images are copyright the respective owners. No uncles or hairless cats were harmed in the making of this.
-Rob Faucette
No comments:
Post a Comment