CPnS 1st Class. Observation.

By Adrian M.M.

Theme: Observation

Method: Live Drawing. Photographic Record.

Context: Charles Web Gilbert sculpture "Captain Matthew Flinders". St Pul's Cathedral.

Response:

The 1st monument that I saw when I arrived in Melbourne city last Feb 20th was the one mentioned, I didn´t know its name by then. I found really interesting the high contrast generated by a powerful and immovable figure right on top of all that tension, movement and perspective. The way those secondary and anonymous characters pull as hard as they can that little boat with their captain on it, the stress on their poses and muscles against the serenity and over confidence of the main character... I have to draw it! I thought. But I didn't have the time and opportunity to do it until today.

I wanted to do some quick rough sketches and a little research about this man Flinders and why the sculptor wanted to capture all that awesomeness to him but when I got to the spot my face cracked a huge smile, there was a seagull right on Captain Flinders head! it was so comfortable! and, at least for me, I just teared the whole awesomeness concept down. I took some photos of that funny scene and then started to walk around to take some other photos from the other side and then is when I lost it. That badass, untouchable commander... covered in crap.

For me, it is disturbing how societies treat and react to this kind of monuments, rocks and/or junk anyway. Some of them are beautiful and highly detailed pieces but it's not possible to get close to them to appreciate all those aesthetics facts, I mean you could even go to jail for touching some. Humans love to adore and respect inert idols and can attempt against anyone who even dare to make fun of theirs. But nature, it doesn't give a freaking shoot about our existence, who we are or were, or what we've "done".

i don't use to spend so much time looking at "hero" monuments because I think they're just there to feed our egocentrism. We shouldn't forget that History is written by "winners". We are just cancer to this world.

What an amazing exercise!