Purpose

Material Witness will focus on extreme textile process. Images will be posted here showing the history of my work, new work, developing projects and inspiration.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

War Of The Worlds





Work from last night. Machine embroidered cotton lace, cast paper, burnt bits and acrylic medium transferred images on cotton. All not completed. All work by me Patricia Chauncey April 2011.


Watching WAR OF THE WORLDS and reading Dreams of Millennium by Mark Kingswell.
Strange to do both at once.

One is a reinterpretation of a terrifying story about alien invasion that isn't friendly. An old terror and fear of those who are other. A paranoia belonging to the isolated and self protective. The other is a history and explanation of the need for apocalyptic terror. A desperate need to have all defined and explained and orderly through a thousand years. A need for control and rules to define the illogical.

Canadians are in the middle of an election for a new Prime Minister. We have a coalition government right now. Our current Prime Minister is about the farthest right wing of anyone who has ever been elected. He is moderated by those with more liberal and progressive views.

He keeps drumming up illogical fears about "aliens" from other countries. He terrifies us all about overwhelming debt and "crime". He uses scare tactics to keep people in a state of paralysis regarding taking political action.

I have this bad dream that our country votes him in with a majority. Apocalyptic to be sure.

2 comments:

Mighty Fast Pig said...

Which version of War of the Worlds? There are at least 3 feature films.

material witness said...

Well hello Mr. Pig...
The one I saw this time had Tom Cruise in it. Didn't like him(far too intense) but liked the funny headed aliens snooping through the cellar. Loved Dakota Fanning! Liked the plant like veins on the walls that Tom Cruise picked off.