Matthias Pridgeon

Artist Statement:  

Video: Emailed to you.

Transcript:

My desire to re-create the mosaic at Ostia Antica stems from my deep rooted love of the sea. Just like the ancient inhabitants of Ostia Antica, I love the ocean, though I do not make my living off of it as they did. The sea has always fascinated me, for many a reason, but what has always awed me more than any other aspect is the beautiful forms that life takes beneath the waves. The narrow, sleek forms of fish, the angular fins of sharks, and the strange tentacles of octopuses are all gorgeous shapes, especially fascinating because they seem so alien, so different from the fauna of the land. Perhaps this is why, when planning the materials for my mosaic, I chose to focus on capturing the elegant shapes of the original mosaic, which depict the gorgeous forms of aquatic life. For this reason I chose to use paint as my primary medium for the recreation, which allowed for accurate line work.  

This piece includes many nautical themes, which can be further expounded upon to represent a theme of the fear of the unknown. The mosaic depicted many fearsome creatures of the deep, a threatening image for an ocean-based culture. Such a culture must have an extreme fear of the deep- the unknown that constantly lurks beneath the hulls of the boats upon which they rely. For the Greeks especially, death at sea was horrifying, as you could not cross the river Styx having done so. Because of this, the images are physical incarnations of these fears, the terrors of the deep unknown. 

 Clearly, the greatest influence for the Ostia Antica mosaic was the ocean itself. As mentioned before, the detailed shapes match the uniqueness of the ocean, but so does the entire chaotic yet beautiful composition.  

 Ambient clip: Harbor, Waves and Ocean Sounds  “Sleep Sounds” Relaxation HD 

This video is important for experiencing the recreation of the Ostia Antica mosaic because it creates a fully immersive environment for the viewer of the piece. Because the mosaic I chose is rooted in nature, featuring many impressive creatures of the sea, it is best experienced when the view feels as though placed in an environment with these creatures. This clip, which features the soothing noises of the ocean waves against a dock and the calls of seabirds, does just that, anchoring the viewer in a realm along with the figures depicted in the mural.  

Further, this audio connects the viewer to the ancient artist who created the mosaic. The artist lived in Ostia Antica, and lively heard noises very similar to every single day, including those which gave them inspiration for the mosaic. I feel that feeling this connection, between the modern and ancient, also helps the viewer experience the piece’s theming. By being immersed in this ancient world, it is far easier to imagine the terror of the ocean’s depths; and the joy felt when the tides are fair.  

Discussion Questions: 

1. Examine the various creatures depicted. Which one jumps out to you? Explain the possible significance of that creature in both the context of the modern day and of the ancient world.  

2. Do you believe the black and white coloring of the mosaic helps or hurts the piece? Why? 

3. If you lived in ancient Ostia Antica and believed in their nautical pantheon, would you have loved the Gods or hated them? Would you have feared them or praised them? Could you do both? Why or why not? 

Photo of final work:

Van Gogh Tie-in:

At the Van Gogh exhibit, I took a picture of what I found to be the most fascinating portion of the presentation: the fascinating shifting of gothic arches steeped in shadow, lit by flashing white street lamps. In this sequence, a dark series of gothic arches were backlit by flashing white lights, creating an almost strobe light like effect. This sequence was fascinating, beautiful in its simplistic design, making me feel both unnerved and awed with so few elements. In many ways, this is similar to the Ostia Antica mosaic. Both, though only consisting of white and black colors and fairly simple designs, are very evocative, and, I would argue, demonstrate exceptional design prowess. It is this simplicity, through which much demonstrated, that connects these two pieces.

(Apologies for poor quality-the projection was always moving, which made all of my imagaes blurry.)