Interconnectedness and process in Cleone Cull’s visual art

Abstract

This paper is an interpretation of the recent work of the Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth artist, Cleone Cull, through what one might call a ‘close looking’ at the works in question (that would parallel ‘close reading’ of a literary text). Such a ‘looking’ yields an interpretive grasp of her works which has the primary impression of a ‘dynamic equilibrium’ as its point of departure, which further lends itself to being interpreted through what it itself suggests in the guise of visually and chromatically instantiated markers. The preponderant, pervasive visual motif running through these works is that of interconnectedness and process – a percept (perceptual counterpart of ‘concept’) which further lends itself to a number of mutually resonating interpretations, framed in terms of familiar theoretical complexes, such as alchemy, Tantra, Jungian depth psychology and Zen Buddhism. But the most persuasive, and accommodating, philosophical-theoretical matrix suggested by the visual features of Cull’s works is the philosophical ontology of Deleuze and Guattari, as articulated in Anti-Oedipus, which therefore comprises the major thread of this interpretive essay.Hierdie artikel is ’n interpretasie van die onlangse werk van die Oos-Kaapse kunstenaar, Cleone Cull, by wyse van wat moontlik as ’n ‘fyn kyk’ na die relevante werke bestempel kan word (wat parallel sou wees aan die ‘fyn lees’ van ’n literêre werk). ’n Sodanige ‘fyn kyk’ gee die primêre indruk van ’n ‘dinamiese balans’ as vertrekpunt, wat sigself egter verder daartoe leen om verstaan te word deur wat die kunswerke self aan die hand doen via chromatiese en visuele betekenaars. Die oorwegende visuele motief wat deur genoemde werke loop is onderlinge verbintenis en prosesmatigheid – ’n ‘persep’ (sintuiglik-waarneembare eweknie van ‘konsep’) wat sigself verder tot ‘n aantal wedersyds bevestigende interpretasies in terme van bekende teoretiese komplekse leen, soos alchemie, Tantra, Jungiaanse diepte-psigologie en Zen-Boedhisme. Die mees oortuigende en omvattende filosofiesteoretiese verwysingsraamwerk wat egter deur die visuele eienskappe van Cull se kunswerke aan die hand gedoen word, is die filosofiese ontologie van Deleuze en Guattari, soos dit in Anti-Oedipus geformuleer is, en om daardie rede die belangrikste hermeneutiese motief van hierdie interpretatiewe essay uitmaak.