The first time I came across the work of Ivan Witenstein, I had so many questions. The sort of questions great art should bring to the surface, such as what were the artist’s intentions, inspirations and methods. But it goes much further than that, as I really wanted to know more about the mind behind these brilliant pieces. Carved out of fibreglass and epoxy resin, haphazardly yet purposely slathered in paint, his creations come to life. A lot of his work is a take on the turbulent conditions around the world, and the physical and psychological facets of reality.
Two of Witenstein’s sculptural installations in his series Fight or Flight reflect on the pervasive discussions of fear and anxiety that have emerged in popular media in recent years. These pieces, “Bad habits die hard, I hope I die hard; Girl’s song for a blessed sun” and “Light a fire so the world will be brighter, black knight, die and live free,” both engage applications of the “fight or flight” concept. His work is a psychedelic version of American-style Social Realism with references to war, racism, popular culture, 19th-century literature and 20th-century history molded together with a visionary zeal. Get lost in his portfolio now, you won’t be disappointed.
