NEPTUNE
Neptune is the God of the water and the sea in the Roman religion, counterpart to the Greek Poseidon.
The figure in this artwork is a 3D scan from the original sculpture in the National Museum in Sweden.
The figure represents stillness and calmness, while surrounded in an ocean of visual movement and activity, representing turbulent waters. Like a giant storm wave crashing against a lighthouse, the figure stands still, resisting the ocean’s powerful forces.
The colour and materiality of the images is a representation of Jasperware, a fine stoneware pottery developed by Wedgewood in the late 18th century, in which a white foreground is presented on a matte coloured background, usually a pale blue. The foreground in this case has been infused with a spectrum of vibrant colours, subdued into the spirit of the stoneware surface.
The work seeks to represent Antiquity and the Renaissance as part of a deeper cultural root that is still thriving despite the massive shifts in style that reshaped our cultural landscapes starting in the 20th century. Decorative arts is once again thriving, and the NeoBaroque is seeking to expand the creative possibilities that were previously limited by the need to create physically based artwork.
This piece’s style fits within Stuart Ward’s NeoBaroque series of artworks. The series, including still imagery, 3d printing, and animated works, is an exploration of the forms that create the visual style.
The artwork is a 1200×1200 x 6 second seamlessly looping video, presented as a 24s video.