Creative Idleness 2019

Michael Cheval presents us with "Creative Idleness," an oil on canvas, a tableau rich with surreal symbols. The woman's towering wig, reminiscent of 18th-century aristocracy, speaks of an era defined by elaborate artifice and leisure. Note the gesture of silence, a figure emerging from the curtain places a finger to their lips. This 'hush' motif has roots stretching back to ancient depictions of Harpocrates, the Greek god of silence, often associated with secrets and mystery. Consider how such a gesture, once linked to divine knowledge, evolves into a symbol of conspiratorial knowledge. The lightbulb dangling over the fishbowl hints at untapped potential, much like the little yellow submarine inside the water. It beckons us to delve into the subconscious. "Creative Idleness" encapsulates the cyclical journey of symbols, resurfacing in new guises, their essence echoing through time.