Alpha And Omega - Oppositional Forces In The Philosophy Of Art | Alternative Fruit

Readers who are interested in philosophy may already be aware of the work done by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari. Their exploration of Rhizomatic Concept touched on the necessity for one to exist in order to permit the other. Clearly we focus on the good and bad moral contrast in most cases however we can apply this thinking tool to any concept we choose to explore. Is the opposite of a chair a non present chair, a floor, or perhaps a sitting person? Art and philosophy can and will choose these grey areas of human thought in order to establish something of a general consensus.


Rhizomes in nature are root bundles or fleshy growths on the roots of living plants. These biological expressions often contain high concentrations of nutrients on which the plant can feed. Within the Rhizomatic Philosophy of Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari, the rhizome represents a set of non-related entry and exit points for information taken from data. This may sound fairly abstract, however it basically means that instead of reading huge data sets (lots of numbers and information) in start to finish linear ways, plotting it all and finding the outcome, this alternative method looks at the whole and cross references sections within data to find specific patterns. It's a more holistic method of analysis which can be applied to complex relationships like those found in society.


Because of this abstract nature, looking for opposites and relationships between them in large-scale observations, this has inspired a lot of well thought art in response. Playing on rhizome theory of philosophy and statistical analysis has helped British artist Gheorghe Virtosu to establish a trend within abstract colour and form. Showing how dependency and contrast play together in the role of expressing striking imagery helps to highlight how opposites in life do the same for us. By showing that contrast and comparison can become beautiful and eye-catching, we can perhaps see how deeper understanding of our own situations can be found.


Of course, Gheorghe Virtosu has a continual theme which can be spotted in his work, however what does it allude to? There appears to be a great deal of tension within the joining of opposites, the colours and shapes each stretch to breaking point in order to remain static in their fixed places. We're drawn to the drama of flow and the energy that clings like gravity in visual magnetism. Clear definition of movement can be felt in the flowing and sudden works, although a stable image, the opposites and their relationships to one another spark intuitive appreciation for their personalities.     
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Want to have a go? Learn the basics of abstract painting online in your own time.
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