Danie Mellor "From Rite to Ritual" 2009
I encountered Danie Mellor's towering blue drawings at the National Museum of Scotland, where his stunning exhibition, Primordial: SuperNaturalBayiMinyjirral, is currently up. Mellor's work explores the interface and overlap between indigenous peoples and western culture. Some of it feels like an act of parallelism, weaving threads between animism and esoterism, showing that they are two sides of the same spiritual coin. Several of his pieces look like alchemical manuscripts, though upon closer examination, one sees they are populated by natives in traditional dress. I particularly love this piece above, which is Masonic and Aboriginal at once. There is definitely visual commentary about colonialism and co-option here that can't be ignored as well, and makes me think about the ways in which we idealize "primitivism" or paganism, all the while blighting it with our so-called civilization. Lots of food for thought here, and what a resplendent feast it is.
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