Tainted Souls Catalogue by Darius Naidoo

TAINTED SOULS

DARIUS MARK NAIDOO

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ECCLESIASTES 3:18 “I SAID IN MY HEART, “CONCERNING THE CONDITION OF THE SONS OF MEN, GOD TESTS THEM, THAT THEY MAY SEE THAT THEY THEMSELVES ARE LIKE ANIMALS.”

CATALOGUE

Table of Contents

1 Introduction........................................................................................................4 Influential Artists..........................................................................................6

2 Drawings...............................................................................................................9 Human-Pig.......................................................................................................9 Vulnerability.................................................................................................10 Self Condemnation.....................................................................................11

3. Mixed Media Drawings................................................................................12 “Sin” Portrait Seies.....................................................................................12

5 Paintings.............................................................................................................14 ‘Repentance’ Painting Series..................................................................14

6 Photography.....................................................................................................15 ‘Disobedience’ Photography Series ...................................................15

7 Digital Portraits...............................................................................................19 Tree of Knowledge.....................................................................................19 Temptations..................................................................................................20 Dead Vine......................................................................................................21

8 Digital Mixed Media.......................................................................................22 Broken Vessel..............................................................................................22

9 Sculpture............................................................................................................26 I Stand Trial...................................................................................................26

10 List of Illustrations.......................................................................................29 12 Bibliography...................................................................................................30 13 Artist CV..........................................................................................................31

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INTRODUCTION "Tainted Souls" explores the theme of an inherently

flawed human nature. The exhibition delves deep into my personal exploration of the Christian religion regarding sin and the internal negotiation of good and evil.

The theme of an inherently flawed human nature focuses on the imperfections of myself. Pride, greed, anger, and lust are some of the main issues associated with the youth in our contemporary society. As a young Christian navigating through life, I struggled with the idea of morality and what behavior was deemed acceptable. Studying biblical texts, I felt overwhelmed by the realization that my human self is naturally born into sin. However, my continuous battle with temptation sparked an internal conflict.

Emotions such as self-condemnation and vulnerability plagued my inner conscience as my self-awareness grew.

The idea of a world void of deceit, violence, and immorality is an objective of human progression.

However, with every passing second, that idea became progressively illusionary. In my best attempt to live righteously, I continuously fall into patterns of sin.

Figure 1: Darius Naidoo, Mixed Media Drawing (Early Work), 2023.

My life is plagued with moral dilemmas and internal contradictions when making choices. These inherent

God. And in this, humans shared a personal sense of

struggles were difficult to cope with. Therefore, "Tainted Souls" forms a body of work that expresses

likeness with God. There once existed an untainted " relationship where people and their Creator lived

my spiritual journey over the past five years. My

harmoniously. However, this was short-lived due to the

artistic process involves mixed-media drawing,

account of the fall of creation. This brings me to the

painting, and photography, in which I highlight my

concept of Original sin. Hereditary sin entered into

struggles with falling short of a Biblical moral

humanity through the disobedience of Adam, the

standard.

firstborn. According to Dubarle (1958:356), the account of the fall of creation in the book of Genesis displays the

In Christian theology, the human race is a product of

failure of man to live religiously (live under God’s will).

God's handiwork. The story in Genesis outlines the

This statement reflects the conceptual basis in my

order of creation. Humanity was made in the image of

photography portrait series, Disobedience (2023).

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In my study of the flawed human nature, I found

The artworks in "Tainted Souls" express these

opposing theories to Christianity’s take on the

internal conflicts regarding sin, and a flawed

human condition. For example, the philosopher Jean

humanity through a series of portraits.

Jacques Rosseau says that human beings who are stripped from all societal structures are actually inherently good. Rosseau’s theory states that man in his own nature only wills to deal peacefully and live modestly (Schwitzgebel,2007:148). Furthermore, Schwitzgebel (2007:148) questions why the condition of nature is judged according to societal structures when any other biological specimen removed from their social settings would be a deviation from their natural state.). Therefore, there are some flaws as Rosseau’s theory blames all that is morally bad about the human condition are influenced by social structures. This disregards the human being's personal agency and the free will to engage in certain behaviors that gratify their desires of greed, vengeance, power, and so forth. I disagree with Rosseau. After reflecting on my contentions with these sinful desires, I feel that people are imperfect within themselves.

Despite the feelings of self-condemnation, I found the transformational aspect of Christianity comforting. The emphasis on redemption and the reliance on God helped me navigate through my inner struggles. The fundamental aim of Christianity is to transform man in his flawed state back into the likeness of God (Phillips 1950:288). This can be seen through the salvation that is offered through Christ.

This emphasizes the reliance of an inherently sinful creation on the grace and forgiveness of God to deal with the complexities and concerns apparent in the natural state of humanity. This is highlighted in my acrylic painting series, Repentance (2023) My experiences with Christian ideals brought both a sense of self-resentment and comfort. Navigating through these internal contradictions made it difficult to have an open discussion surrounding these issues. I feel that this is the reason why many people shy away from religious discourse

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INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS

Figure 2: Makoto Fujimura, Charis-Kairos (The Tears of Christ). (2011)

In exploring the theme, of Christianity on the flawed human condition, I have come across two artists, Makoto Fujimura, and Florian Nicolle. They have inspired me in both my conceptual exploration and technical approaches.

Makoto Fujimura is a Japanese contemporary visual artist who combines visual methodologies of abstract paintings with traditional Nihonga techniques that contain the use of natural materials to achieve pigmentation. Nihonga is a traditional Japanese style of painting. This is reflective of Fujimura's culture which is imbued in his artmaking process. His expressive painting style inspired my use of acrylic pouring as seen in my painting series, Repentance (2023). Allowing the fluidity of the paint to take control provides a purely spiritual experience in painting. Furthermore, Fujimura addresses deep theological concepts and bible stories in his artworks. By combining Western abstract art and the traditional nihonga style painting, Fujimura uses colors as a vehicle to express Christian ideals such as the beauty of grace and the contention of light and darkness (good and evil). In Figure 2, the artwork entitled Charis-Kairos (The Tears of Christ) (2011) uses red paint to symbolize the suffering of Jesus and gold paint to emphasize His royal divinity. In my artmaking process, I aimed to replicate this by using colors that symbolize Christian concepts.

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Figure 3: Florian Nicolle, Illustrated portrait . (n.d) Florian Nicolle is an illustrator who works with mixed-media drawing. Nicolle is famous for his mixture of mediums. His technical process involves combining scanned newspaper prints, watercolor, pencil, or ink. In my mixed media portrait series, "Sin" (2023), I adopted Nicolle's method by using scanned Bible pages as a surface. I also used similar mediums such as coffee and watercolor. Nicolle also extends the layers by working over these traditional media using digital processes. In the layering of these materials, the creation of a complex human portrait is born. I was inspired by how Nicolle presents the essence and emotions of the human subject in his portraits. As a result, most of my artworks involve the human face as the subject matter. With the complexities and experiments of the various techniques and mediums, I aimed to create a deep sensory experience that invites the viewer to engage with questions about the sinful human nature.

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MY ARTWORKS

DRAWINGS HUMAN-PIG Graphite and Charcoal on paper. 42 x 59.4 cm In my personal navigation of morality, I drew inspiration from Hybrid forms to convey my sinful nature. The feelings of remorse after sinning made me feel unclean and inhumane.

Uncleanliness and greed are closely associated with the pig. The pig is also considered an unclean animal according to Old Testament scripture.

Therefore, likening the human form to a pig displays the feelings I experienced through acts of rebellion. Hence, the term "Pig headed".

Human-Pig (2023) expresses the human condition that is stained with sin.

Figure 4: Darius Naidoo, Human-Pig (2023) TAINTED SOULS| 9

VULNERABILITY Graphite and Charcoal on paper. 42 x 59.4 cm As I struggled with the internal conflicts regarding morality, I felt attacked by the idea that humans are inherently sinful. It left me spiritually vulnerable.

However, this led me to accept my imperfections by relying on God's grace.

This artwork draws upon my emotional experiences and to display my reliant human condition.

Figure 5: Darius Naidoo, Vulnerability (2023)

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SELF CONDEMNATION Graphite and Charcoal on paper. 42 x 59.4 cm As a young Christian, I often found myself bearing the burdens of self-condemnation. As a result, I grew frustrated with myself. By failing to uphold Biblical moral principles, feelings of anxiety and hopelessness arose. The portrait bleeding into the image of the crucifixion symbolizes the sinking feeling I get whenever I fall into sin. Self Condemnation (2023) aims to express these emotional experiences during my early years as a teen.

Figure 6: Darius Naidoo, Self Condemnation (2023)

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MIXED MEDIA DRAWINGS “SIN” PORTRAIT SERIES The Mixed Media Portrait series, "Sin" depicts the various faces of a sinful nature. I aimed to express the natural aspect by incorporating dried flowers and leaves into the portraits to display the processes of fading out. This can be seen in Sin IV (2023).

This portrait series explores the idea that man is slowly dying out as a result of sin.

SIN I Mixed Media Drawing on paper. 42 x 59.4 cm

Figure 7: Darius Naidoo, Sin II (2023)

SIN II Mixed Media Drawing on paper. 42 x 59.4 cm

Figure 8: Darius Naidoo, Sin II (2023)

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SIN III Mixed Media Drawing on paper. 42 x 59.4 cm

SIN IV Mixed Media Drawing on paper. 42 x 59.4 cm

Figure 9: Darius Naidoo, Sin III (2023)

Figure 10: Darius Naidoo, Sin IV (2023)

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PAINTINGS “REPENTANCE” In seeking redemption of my sinful nature, I looked towards the transformational processes of the Christian faith. The act of repentance is meant to restore humanity and their relationship with God. Inspired by Makoto Fujimura's abstract paintings, I used blue, white, and black paint as a vehicle to express the stages of repentance. Blue and White are associated with hope and righteousness, while black is associated with sin.

This painting expresses the hope for my sinful nature by seeking forgiveness.

REPENTANCE I: REGRET

REPENTANCE III: PRAYER

Acrylic on Canvas, 51 x 61.5 cm

Acrylic on Canvas, 51 x 61.5 cm

REPENTANCEII:CHANGE OF HEART Acrylic on Canvas, 50.5 x 76 cm

Figure 11: Darius Naidoo, ‘Repentance’ Series (2023) TAINTED SOULS| 14

PHOTOGRAPHY “DISOBEDIENCE PHOTOGRAPHY SERIES”

In engaging with my theme in a broader sense, I was drawn to the act of self-reflection to examine myself and my sinful desires In this Photography series, Disobedience (2023), I continued the exploration of faded flowers to emphasize my tainted human soul.I used the apple as a prop to display how I commit myself to do wrong. This act of self-reflection highlights the unconscious habitual practice of sinning.

DISOBEDIENCE: REFLECTIONS Photograph Print on Poster Paper. 42 x 59.4 cm

Figure 12: Darius Naidoo, Disobedience: Reflections (2023) TAINTED SOULS| 15

DISOBEDIENCE: WHOEVER HAS EARS...

Photograph Print on Poster Paper. 42 x 59.4 cm

Figure 13: Darius Naidoo, Disobedience: Whoever Has Ears...(2023)

DISOBEDIENCE: WHOEVER HAS EYES....

Photograph Print on Poster Paper. 42 x 59.4 cm

Figure 14: Darius Naidoo, Disobedience: Whoever Has Eyes...(2023) TAINTED SOULS| 16

DISOBEDIENCE: FORBIDDEN FRUIT Photograph Print on Poster Paper. 42 x 59.4 cm

Figure 15: Darius Naidoo, Forbidden Fruit (2023) TAINTED SOULS| 17

DISOBEDIENCE: SINFUL DESIRES Photograph Print on Poster Paper. 42 x 59.4 cm

Figure 16: Darius Naidoo, Sinful Desires (2023)

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DIGITAL PORTRAITS TREE OF KNOWLEDGE Digital Print on Poster Paper. 42 x 59.4 cm This artwork draws inspiration from the Biblical story Adam and Eve. This specific story is an account of the fall of humanity. It symbolizes the inherently sinful human nature as a result of disobeying God.

Figure 17 : Darius Naidoo, Tree of Knowledge (2023) TAINTED SOULS| 19

TEMPTATIONS Digital Print on Poster Paper. 42 x 59.4 cm This artwork deals specifically with, my personal battles with temptation from various sources. We are fooled to think that there is something better on the other side. The door symbolizes the liminal space I find myself within when I am called to make moral choices.

Figure 18: Darius Naidoo, Temptations (2023) TAINTED SOULS| 20

DEAD VINE Digital Print on Poster Paper. 42 x 59.4 cm This artwork expresses the deep concerns with a human nature that is spiritually dead. I often felt a slow moral decay during my conflicted experiences regarding sin. The roots are symbolic of spiritual death.

Figure 19: Darius Naidoo, Dead Vine (2023) TAINTED SOULS| 21

DIGITAL MIXED MEDIA BROKEN VESSEL Digital Manipulation with Glass Piece Collage, 88.5 x 122.7 cm Broken Vessel is a process work that deals with the broken state of my own humanity. During my personal reflections on my human nature, I felt my rebellious acts resulted in broken relationships with people around me.

In this artwork, I used broken glass pieces to express the destruction of these relationships.

Figure 20 : Darius Naidoo, Broken Vessel (2023)

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Figure 21 : Darius Naidoo, Broken Vessel Digital Manipulation (2023)

DIGITAL MANIPULATION The digital painting of the tree is rendered in an oil painting style. I intended to replicate classical European paintings of landscapes that sought to idealize the beauty of nature. By using digital manipulation processes, I created an artificial landscape painting that is meant to reflect the idea of a perfect world that is free of sin.

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Figure 22 : Darius Naidoo, Broken Vessel Close-ups (2023)

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GLASS PIECE COLLAGE I broke glass pieces from rejected mirrors and glued them onto the canvas.

The collage of the glass pieces is meant to distract the viewer from the painting. The shattered reflections instantly call the viewer to question the ideas about the self.

Figure 23 : Darius Naidoo, Broken Vessel Shattered Reflections (2023) TAINTED SOULS| 25

SCULPTURE I STAND TRIAL Sculpture Installation, 33 x 57.4 cm In my investigation of the sinful nature, I was drawn towards the idea of bondage.

This artwork takes inspiration from Greek Myths such as Prometheus and Pompeii.

Prometheus, condemned to eternal suffering was chained to a rock. this reflects the human condition that is intertwined with a sinful nature. This artwork deals with my engagement with sin and my struggle to separate myself from it.

Ultimately, I stand accused of my wrongdoings.

Figure 24 : Darius Naidoo, I Stand Trial (2023) TAINTED SOULS| 26

Figure 25 : Darius Naidoo, I Stand Trial Close-ups (2023) TAINTED SOULS| 27

Figure 26 : Darius Naidoo, I Stand Trial Clay Sculpture (2023) TAINTED SOULS| 28

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Pg4 - Figure 1: Darius Naidoo, Mixed Media Drawing (Early Work), (2023) Pg6 - Figure 2: Makoto Fujimura, Charis-Kairos (The Tears of Christ). (2011) Pg7 - Figure 3: Florian Nicolle, Illustrated portrait . (n.d) Pg9 - Figure 4: Darius Naidoo, Human-Pig. (2023) Pg10 -Figure 5: Darius Naidoo, Vulnerability (2023) Pg11 -Figure 6: Darius Naidoo, Self Condemnation (2023) Pg12 -Figure 7: Darius Naidoo, Sin II (2023) Pg12 -Figure 8: Darius Naidoo, Sin II (2023) Pg13 -Figure 9: Darius Naidoo, Sin III (2023) Pg13 -Figure 10: Darius Naidoo, Sin IV (2023) Pg14 -Figure 11: Darius Naidoo, ‘Repentance’ Series (2023) Pg15 -Figure 12: Darius Naidoo, Disobedience: Reflections (2023) Pg16 -Figure 13: Darius Naidoo, Disobedience: Whoever Has Ears...(2023) Pg16 -Figure 14: Darius Naidoo, Disobedience: Whoever Has Eyes...(2023) Pg17 -Figure 15: Darius Naidoo, Forbidden Fruit (2023) Pg18 -Figure 16: Darius Naidoo, Sinful Desires (2023) Pg19 -Figure 17: Darius Naidoo, Tree of Knowledge (2023) Pg20 -Figure 18: Darius Naidoo, Temptations (2023) Pg21 -Figure 19: Darius Naidoo, Dead Vine (2023) Pg22 -Figure 20 : Darius Naidoo, Broken Vessel (2023) Pg23 -Figure 21 : Darius Naidoo, Broken Vessel Digital Manipulation (2023) Pg24 -Figure 22 : Darius Naidoo, Broken Vessel Close-ups (2023) Pg25 -Figure 23 : Darius Naidoo, Broken Vessel Shattered Reflections (2023) Pg26 -Figure 24 : Darius Naidoo, I Stand Trial (2023) Pg27 -Figure 25 : Darius Naidoo, I Stand Trial Close-ups (2023) Pg28 -Figure 26 : Darius Naidoo, I Stand Trial Clay Sculpture (2023)

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dubarle A.M and Higgens D.J, ORIGINAL SIN IN GENESIS. CrossCurrents, 1958, Vol. 8, No. 4 (1958), pp. 345-362. Wiley (Accessed 1 September) https://www.jstor.org/stable/24456936 Efird D and Gustafsson D, Experiencing Christian art. Religious Studies, Vol. 51, No. 3, Special Issue: Religious Studies at 50 (SEPTEMBER2015), pp. 431-439. Cambridge University Press (Accessed 31 August) https://www.jstor.org/stable/43658400 Philips M.K, Art and Christianity. Christian Education, DECEMBER, 1950, Vol. 3 Education, (DECEMBER, 1950), pp.288-290.Penn State University Press. (Accessed 31 August) https://www.jstor.org/stable/41175516 Schwitzgebel E, Human Nature and Moral Education in Mencius, Xunzi, Hobbes, and Rousseau. History of Philosophy Quarterly, Vol. 24, No. 2 (Apr., 2007), pp. 147-168.

University of Illinois Press on behalf of North American Philosophical Publications (Accessed 31 August)

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ARTIST CV

Contact Details: Darius Mark Naidoo Call: 081 384 1741 Email: dariusnaidoo4@gmail.com

Education 2020 Effingham Secondary School- Matriculated at Effingham Secondary School in the year 2020 with a Bachelor's Degree pass.

2021-Present UNISA- Enrolled at The University of South Africa (Unisa), Studying a Bachelors Degree in Visual Mutimedia Arts.

Work Experience 2023 Dzign Concept Interiors- Works as a part time Graphic Designer for Dzign Concept Interiors. Role involves designing, company logos, brochures and quotations.

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