Art Metropole

#09434

The Temptations of Cryogenian Thermal Genesis

Artist

Mat Brown

Date

2009

Format

Posters

Details

Print

Size

61 × 60 × 0.2 cm

Description

With this project the artist intends to juxtapose the contemporary creation myth as recorded in institutional scientific narratives with the very human context in which these myths were created.

Mat Brown presents natural history with an emphasis on human evolution and a social understanding of deep time. This series ranges the 21 geological deep-time ecosystems, from the Hadean 4.7 billion years ago through the Eons, Eras, Periods and Epochs of the geologic time scale up to the emergence of early man 1.8 million years ago.

In addition to the time periods are 7 major extinction events/periods that separate the large changes in life forms throughout time, these works are four times the size and embody another perspective, that of science as religion. The extinction events are punctuated by the presence of a catholic martyr saint to emphasize the role of western characterizations of truth or belief. What was once dictated by Christianity is now delivered by Science using many of the same metaphors and concepts.

The creation of these works involved extensive research on behalf of the artist as all the animals depicted are from the fossil record. These images are meant to show the inclusiveness of the ecosystems throughout time, including animals from every level of life, from invertebrate to dinosaur, each in their own place alongside a human figure. This combination of classical nude and scientific reconstruction of prehistoric ecosystems is a literal expression of the reunion of art and science.

Artist’s proof. Signed and Numbered

1.