Jack Knight
St Aloysius' College
A DECONSTRUCTION OF CLASSICAL MAN
Sculpture
Clay
These days the role of men and their purpose in society is confusing and, at times, overwhelming to process. My body of work examines an idea that has perplexed an entire generation: what does masculinity look like now? The broader issue of our existence and purpose can leave young men confused and searching. Past ideas and present expectations collide in the crumbling of notions of masculinity. My work references Graeco-Roman sculpture, with its classical idea of masculinity and the promise of perfection, breaking it down to represent a physical and psychological deconstruction of these expectations.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Michelangelo, David; Glycon the Athenian, The Farnese Hercules; Myron, Discobolus.
Marker's Commentary
A Deconstruction of Classical Man appropriates forms of male heroes of the classical age exploring what the expectations of masculinity might look like for young men today. Each figure is missing something that is representative of their strength and identity as men of power and success. The heroes gather round the pieces of two men who are piled up in pieces, broken and defeated, perhaps collapsed under the pressure of expectation. The clay is handled in a confident and highly accomplished manner to create idealised anatomical forms that serve to highlight their muscular build and tension of movement. Across the curated set of six works positioned on slender plinths, the highly muscular forms strain against unseen challenges or foes to re-enforce the struggle. Surface is treated with a bronze and patina effect, referencing the surface of sculpture seen in public spaces that celebrate significant figures of history, further embedding the gravity of the struggle with value and identity.