5/01/2012

May Day... May Day... May Day



These two words, repeat three times, were the first most important words my instructor told me when I was a trainee pilot. It is a distress call when one is in the air and the aircraft is having engine trouble, or whatever crisis situation that has developed. I was lucky never to have the need to send out this distress call.

The above image is a very inspirational photopainting of mine. It is called The Tree of Life. Many of you must be familiar with this biblical concept. I am no Christian nor Catholic. I read the bible and is familiar with this concept in Genesis.

I took my pictures using a technique called The Art of RAR. It involves taking pictures of reflection and refraction, decode it and viola, I have a painting. I have many series of paintings from this process.

When this picture appeared to me during my docoding of the photographs, I instantly recognised that it is the Tree of Life. It looked like a tree for sure. Then it could be any tree, a rambutan tree or a durian tree. Why should it be the Tree of Life? A tree is recognised by the fruits it bears.

I needed some convincing and affirmation that this is the real Tree of Life. I have seen many painters and their images of the Tree of Life but this is different. This tree came to me without any premeditation, without any plans, and no fixing. When I shoot my images, my mind is clear of all thoughts and I am prepared for anything that comes out. Every picture is a mystery and a creation of chance. I have series on women, historical relics, abstract faces, coral fish, celestial beasts etc etc, and now this.

If this is the Tree of Life, there must be signs of life in the tree. I put the painting under the microscope for scrutiny, like looking for life forms in the moon. Believe me, there are life forms in the tree. There were several images of human forms in the tree, like the fruits of the tree. And the images were well formed and as clear as daylight. I can't believe my eyes. This is an image I shot of reflection and refraction on the surface of water and nothing else. And the last thing in my mind is the Tree of Life. It was conceived and crafted by mother nature with no human interference.

I have several other shots of similar trees in the series. They look the same as this tree. Some too have similar human images on them, but very few and not as well defined. I can still call them Trees of Life as they are similar in appearance but with lesser or no fruits on them yet.

I am planning to hold a solo exhibition on my Art of RAR paintings in Oct/Dec. The main piece of my rar art will be this Tree of Life. And I am not shouting May Day, May Day, May Day. I should be shouting Hallelujah!


PS, for a clearer view click my link to the Art of RAR Gallery on the right, the picture with the purple face. For those who are fascinated by this painting, try counting the number of human images on the tree. And don't miss out the lady in the centre with a white shawl.

23 comments:

  1. Darkness ask can he please buy a picture of the tree of life. What is the biggest size and what is the price. Money is no object, quality is. Kindly reply here.

    ReplyDelete
  2. We would also like to buy one for our head office in Cameroon.Now we have photos of scenes of life in Singapore, but the more we all look at it, the more we all dont want to return home anymore. I have met a nice chinese girl from a good family from french Ivory coast. Her father has been in africa for over 50 years. We intend to get married soon. So I would I too would like to buy this photo called the tree of life for my plantation.

    H

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Darkness and H,

    Nice to know that you like this piece of art. I have not finalised on the pricing yet. It is the most unusual painting that I have so far. All my rar pieces are conceived and crafted by Mother Nature, with no human interference. That makes them more valuable.

    The image is good for A3 or even A2 size. In my exhibition it will likely be A3 on museum fine art paper and the colour is guaranteed to last at least 60 years.

    My reserved price for this piece is not cheap. All my rar art pieces are limited edition of 20 pieces only. Any serious buyer can email me and if the offer is right I will release one piece for the time being.

    In the coming exhibition I plan to release only 3 pieces and keep the rest for a later time.

    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Leng Chai is so multi-talented. I think I should start discovering my innate talent for the abstract.

    Instead of the road most traveled, I offer art that makes the least cents.

    Which means I probably have no one lining up to view my art let alone offer to buy into them LoL

    ReplyDelete
  5. redbean's concept of the tree of life is refreshing...as art.

    However from the science perspective, I personally prefer the Tree Of Life according to Charles Darwin, which is far more both exciting and mysterious in addition to being factual. Darwin's ToL shits all over the fake ToL planted by the fake Abrahamic god mentioned in the world's most famous book based on fakery: The Holey Bible, where the same-o-same-o never-changing stories have been repeated ad nasuem for 20 centuries.

    And the are not even good fakes. Religion is fucking boring.

    At least science has the balls to get it wrong, so it has to change and constantly evolve. Te truth emerges, and that process alone is AWESOME!

    ReplyDelete
  6. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6IrUUDboZo

    http://www.wellcometreeoflife.org/

    ReplyDelete
  8. For those who are fascinated by this painting, try counting the number of human images on the tree. And don't miss out the lady in the centre with a white shawl.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh, genesis makes a lot of sense if you can see into the ...abstract.

    What is interesting is it unfolds like a blooming flower unwrapping its crinkled leaves.

    In fact, no conflict with the science of life. How much you going to pay me unwrap it? LoL

    ReplyDelete
  10. It will probably worth more than RB's painting. Much much more :) Priceless? Haaaaaa

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi RB...

    Just looked at your gallery....interesting and colorful images....

    Well wishes to your art talent...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi tkw, thanks for encouragement. It is a new photography technique and I hope it will be welcomed by the arts community here.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I am both a photographer and a now and then artist...so I can resonate with your creative images.

    Your art/photographers is art...no 2 ways about my opinion...it is also creative/delightful art images.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Ha good. We share the same hobby and many things in common. I still have quite a number of series in different stages of development and will show them when they are ready.

    Do you specialise in any particular form of photography?

    Cheers.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Reddy, you should present a piece of your little miracle to the Pope. Then the churches around the world will be asking for one as well. And your 20 pieces will definitely be not enough.

    ReplyDelete
  16. That's a good idea. Maybe someone would want to get one to present to the Bishop here: )

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hi H, you are a blessed man. Things are very kind to you, a coming marriage and a plantation. Wow.

    And I can say that too of Darkness when money is not an issue. The quality of the painting should be quite good at A3 size given that it was shot in the water. It would be a painting and not a photograph.

    ReplyDelete
  18. You should work on the image of the beast. Look hard enough into the painting, you may see a man in the center in white robe

    ReplyDelete
  19. Please enlighten.

    ReplyDelete
  20. I'm glad we're talking "art".

    Tim Minchin is a wonderfully funny bona fide Australian performing artist.

    Here is his musical tribute to The Pope, sing along with the lyrics and express yourselves too!

    Ahhh...art, creativity, emotional fuel...I feel good now!

    ReplyDelete
  21. The art form has developed so far and so free in expression that everything is art today. Just let it go and be appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi Darkness and H,
    I have made a sample 8R print of the Tree of Life and it turns out pretty good. If you are interested to view it, please let me know. My email, redbeansg@yahoo.com.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Pastor Kong Hee had once delivered a sermon on Message from water, about crystals being formed in response to positive thoughts and words.

    ReplyDelete