The Disasters of War

The Disasters of War Gino Ballantyne

UCMK Galleries

Gino Ballantyne “The Disasters of War” UCMK Galleries Silbury Boulevard Milton Keynes

Foreword Gino Ballantyne was educated at The Glasgow School of Art where he received a BA(Hons) in Fine Art. He conducted postgraduate studies at the University of the Arts, London where he received an MFA in Painting.

Gino says of his work “It seems to me that art has become akin to studying Latin or Medieval manuscripts, and to paraphrase Margaret Atwood, [has become] “a long winded sentence with a lot of subordinate clauses” “pleasant to contemplate in its way, but no longer central to anything” Art is central to all I do and my work is about the human condition. The drawings in this exhibition engage with Goya’s concerns about our natural instinct for violence, hate and enjoyment at the misery and abasement of “Others”. The drawings are my attempt to have a dialogue with these forces and Goya, echoing his concerns and in doing so reflect on the folly of the human experience in the past, now, and potentially the future.

How does technology enable this force? and What are the forces that drive the human spirit? are questions which inform the context of my work.

Like a signal wave technology facilitates this force with its digital and social medias continually being adapted by the forces of power. The digital machine constantly redefines our perceptions and reorientates our internal philosophies.” The forces of power adopt it to orientate there agenda while promoting a message of choice and democracy. A digital signal wave that implies truth and moral authority. But does it tell a truth?

This digital signal wave forms us and is “The Industrialisation of our Consciousness”. Ultimately, the human spirit will be orientated by our choices to be led or to lead. Margaret Atwood would say, “Watch out for the leaders and the led..... First the leaders and the led, then the tyrants and the slaves, then the massacres. That’s how its always gone.“

Forces Order, disorder – Chaos, Regime Choreographed Utopia Immediately. I dreamt, Searing intense visions.

They flew.

A figure stood in the doorway, Pointing, silently screaming.

Acrid smoke burned the air.

Outside was quiet.

A richochet. Blasted. The window Came into view.

Shadows ran across.

Demons smouldered, laughed A cacophony of twisted screams, Whispered to the air.

Nobody heard. Nobody cared.

Electricity flared, hiss The rhyme.

Blindfold and water forces Bridge the defences.

Suffocating and drowning all.

Maleavalance New War Silently rages The Digital maleavalance Signal-wave Redefining Human consciousness Controlled by Machinery of the State Redefining philosophies Variant, mongrel Freedom an illusion A “bare life” existence Identified Powerless Lawfully excluded Concentrated Nietzsche’s Abyss A mirror image of death Cancerous Raging silently

The Pile Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Seize Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Forces Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Rescue Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Hold Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Crush Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Ignored Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Hooded Pile Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Alone Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

What’s That Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Folly Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

The Cross Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Chaos Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

The Pose Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Another Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

X Marks the Spot Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

The Run Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Why? Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Dad Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Son Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

The Others Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Again Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Trinity Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Seat Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Props Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

hood Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Rock Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

And Again Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Hidden Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

The Hung Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Look at Him Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Embrace Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Left Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Another Hold Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Not Again Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

When Will it Stop?

Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Who Cares Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Isolated Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Help Us Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Tied Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Parade Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Daughter Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Heel Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Another Pile Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Mother Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Faded Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

Hanging Indian Ink on rough watercolour paper

This catalogue was produced with the support of Deschamps Fine Art Publishers for UCMK Galleries Silbury Boulevard Milton Keynes 2012

The Disasters of War Gino Ballantyne

UCMK Galleries