Marcus Durkheim

Things are not what they appear to be: nor are they otherwise.  Surangama Sutra

This body of work is an investigation into the illusive nature of physical reality and how beliefs and preconceived ideas prejudice our responses to everything around us. The objects (inanimate and animate) in these works are extensions of the self, inert avatars that acquire meaning through the associations, memories and emotions that we attach to them. A commonplace tin can may have deep meaning to one person while most of us wouldn't have any significant connection to tin cans whatsoever. Mundane objects are fetishized by a variety of belief systems, why not a tin can, or a cup cake, or? In this way the objects in this work also symbolize larger philosophical questions about human understanding and interpretation of existence even where there appears to be consensus but which turns out to be different than expected, sometimes incomprehensively so, when examined individually.

I use a combination of realistic and digitally abstracted imagery as reference. During the process of making the work I alter and/or omit the use of my eyes so that my relationship to the surface, the paint and the object are further altered and reconsidered. This body of work is created under a pseudonym with the intent of inserting an additional layer of ambiguity; questioning assumptions and conclusions.

Rene Magritte. George Eliot. Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell. Jean Baudrillard. Base 5. Ceci n'est pas une pipe.