Truth and the Mnemonic

The truest expression of an idea is from the image within the mind, from personal memories and experience. By taking on the role of flaneur and immersing oneself in their surroundings the artist gains intense memories and ideas that can be expressed through the painting. ‘All good and true draughtsman draw from the image imprinted on their brains, and not from nature.’(Baudelaire, 1863, p16)

Adrian Ghenie’s Dada is Dead & Duchamp’s Funeral (2009)

The sources of Adrian Ghenie’s paintings are derived from a combination of his own personal store of memories and from historical books, archives and film. This basis of memory conjoined with vast cultural knowledge leads to this Truth of expression.

‘The weaving together of personal histories with collective memories makes for a psychologically disturbing encounter on the part of the viewer, who may experience a sense of unease or an uncanny jolt of recognition as he surveys the paintings.’(Ritter/Zamet, 2007)

Ahmed Alsoudani’s Untitled (2007)

‘In the daily metamorphosis of external things, there is a rapidity of movement which calls for an equal speed of execution from the artist’ (Baudelaire 1863, p4)

The impact of being present in the Gulf Conflict and the following difficulties of escaping to the US have lead to Alsoudani expressing the related thoughts and images in a equally violent and disperate manner. The sense of movement and chaos that Baudelaire desires is visible.