With the goal of applying Gustav Metzger's concept of auto-destructive art while following the same ideology and structure, I sought to re envision his purpose onto a different time period. In doing so, I made sure to keep in mind his focus on participation, time, and self-completion. Additionally, Gustav was an artist that liked to explore new mediums of creation such as manifestos performances and different materials such as metal and nylon to showcase and conduct his work.
I sought to follow the same footsteps, my utilizing a medium that he had previously explored with one of his popular techniques of creating art with acid. Since Gustav brushed the acid onto numerous sheets of nylon during his performances, I wanted to create an interface that shows the conclusion of what would happen if the medium was a painting -- but not just any painting, a painting that gather not only people but also thought and a time period of the Renaissance together. With the application of Metzger's auto-destructive art message onto this painting, I sough to highlight the gaps in which certain elements and change brought upon by the ideas of Renaissance ultimately also contributed to the destructive elements of the society- those mentioned by Metzger. From the advancement of scientific theory during the Renaissance paving the path to more modernization and the Industrial Revolution, Metzger's ideas of destructive elements in today's society such as capitalism, environmental issues caused by technological advancements and the greed of a consumer society, and invention of new powerful nuclear weapons can be tied back to this time period. Therefore, I wished to apply and pay homage to Metzger's unique style and deep underlying message of his art.
