A series of paintings by Jane Nicol.

ARTIST STATEMENT:

Do we evolve through our experiences of physical illusion?

Is it an illusion that we evolve?

This series of paintings is my effort to express a lifetime of pondering philosophy, developmental psychology, theology and my own personal process. It is a reflection of both the individual developmental processes in humanity and their reflection in the greater wheel of human evolution to that which is beyond human. I have used transparent male bodies immersed in their environment to represent that point of innate purpose within each of us as it engages in the illusions of physical life.

“Illusion, Beginnings” expresses the first infantile awareness, immersed in other, unconsciously part of something greater than ourselves. Newborns unconsciously believe they are the universe and the universe is them.

“Illusion, Individuation” shows that step into dichotomy, awareness of self and other.

“Illusion, Desire” shows the increasingly focused leap into physical gratification and fulfilment of our physical appetites. All show that gradual and natural evolution into the illusion that the physical is all important.

“Illusion, Disillusion” shows the growing sense of something being missing, of loss, of disillusion with that which was once all consuming.

And so the series continues through “Illusion, Separation“, “Illusion, Despair“, and “Illusion Loss Revealed“. The wheel turns and we begin the search for something we have lost something we have forgotten, about who we are and where we came from.

This series continues and is a work in progress, as I believe we all are.

I continue to revisit these first themes as I continue to develop those illustrating the conscious search for what has been lost.

Sometimes there are words that go with these paintings…

Illusion Separation (Poem)

Soul
forgotten

solitary
in shivering human form
building prison walls
out of illusion

braggart swaggering illusion whistling in the dark of truth
denying

the loneliness,
the helplessness
of being alive

step back

witness and remember

learn to love
the helplessness
of being alive

the dark bright pity of being human

Jane Nicol 2005 – This poem accompanies the Illusion, Evolution series of paintings.

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