Isaac Warrington – Art About the Human Being, Spirituality and the Environment

. Budding Maltese artist Isaac Warrington, addresses the human being, and other themes like spirituality, wellbeing and the environment, through his works of art, with an emphasis on Malta. A recent graduate in fine arts, Isaac Warrington guides us through one of his recent works entitled God Blocked (image above).

God Blocked (mixed media, 42 x 59 cms)

Isaac Warrington starts by explaining some of the features in this painting:

The Crane – Addressing several modern-day existential issues, Isaac presents the crane and the oil rig as symbols of power while the human head is portrayed between these two big machines.

The Eye – The eye is the observer, often without a voice. One observes the world being twisted and tearing itself apart. The eye also symbolises paranoia and fear, and is also a window to the soul.

The Materials on The Roof – On the human head one can observe things which are typically found on roofs like aerials, a factory chimney and wires. “Sometimes it feels like man is going through mutation rather than evolution, Isaac says. “The physical environment as we know it now is changing the way man thinks and behaves. The environment as it currently is does not cater for spirituality, for man to experience him/herself as a spiritual being.

The Scaffolding – Then there is the interesting scaffolding in the division of the human head, something is being built. “I wanted to show that man is different than what he was meant to be, he is sort of being moulded in a new way.  Isaac says.

Inspired by Charles Taylor’s book Ethics of Authenticity, this drawing portrays the pure angst and existential dread of the modern age. With reference to the book, this drawing deals with two main factors that contribute to a loss of purpose. “Firstly, the relationship of the human person with something bigger than us. I feel that man is experiencing a disconnection rather than a connection with God, nature, this something bigger than us, he says. “Secondly, the state of the land, our relationship with the environment we inhabit. I am speaking about my homeland, Malta.

Our Relationship With Something Bigger

Isaac feels that losing our values eventually effects man’s wellbeing and sense of purpose. “The rejection of the notion of God and the idea of an afterlife is accompanied by a loss of rituals and a general decline in morality. With the disappearance of utopia, the sense of purpose suffers.” he says.

The State Of The Land

Isaac deeply feels the impact that the environment and the place we call our home has on our mental and physical health. He quotes Winston Churchill when had said that “we shape our buildings and thereafter they shape us. “We have somewhat lost interest in architecture with meaning. We have shifted to one that is cold in appearance and aesthetically lacking. So this drawing calls for a sense of balance. It calls for respect for the land. It calls for a harmonious relationship with our surroundings and a rediscovery of the bigger scheme of things. This work is in fact a call for balance- a struggle that humanity has been trying to achieve for centuries. Isaac concludes.

Photo of Isaac Warrington by Jess Worley

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