SETKEN
storytelling 2017
November 2017
Propaganda
I have created a piece for an exhibition with the theme "Propaganda", being held from 1st December at ArtBoy Gallery here in Melbourne. I am staging my own 3 day exhibition at this gallery next February - which the painting clearly indicates. Propaganda for my own event seemed to fit somehow.
When submission notices for the event went out a couple of months back I was intrigued. It made me think about art, propaganda, the themes used in art and how this impacts the viewer. It made me consider my art and how it relates to this concept. I consider my paintings of the Egyptian pantheon sacred - does this mean my art is propaganda for Kemetic ideas? What is it then if not? And if so, how? Why?
Inspired by the recent American Gods TV series, the current paintings I am working on about the Syme Memorial, and more than a few of my previous works and styles, I ended up settling on an idea I had begun in my sketch "Ancient Gods, New World" for my Netjeru In America series. It was a sketch I had made in the San Jose leg of my visit that year, which I have largely drawn upon to make this piece.
Propaganda is 24" x 48" and is acrylic on linen.
October 2017
Debut exhibition confirmed!
Setken confirms that he will stage an exhibition in Melbourne in February of next year.
The venue is the wonderful Artboy Gallery in Prahran, and the dates are Friday February 9th (Opening Night), Saturday February 11th and Sunday February 12th. That's right - just 3 days!
Stay tuned for more details.
August 2017
I am very pleased that my painting This Has All Happened Before And This Will All Happen Again is featured on the cover of Dr. Paul Harrison's forthcoming book, Profane Egyptologists.
Dr. Harrison has written about the modern revival of the Ancient Egyptian religion today, and I am very looking forward to reading the book when it is published later this year.
You can pre-order a copy of the book here.
May 2017
Over 20 days I "curated" an exhibition of 20 paintings from my vault on Facebook. It was fun to do and I got quite a few more people liking my page as a result.
An artist friend of mine (who I met through Facebook) that lives in the United States wrote the following amazing comment about my portrait of Lord Sokar:
"Setken's workings are a magnificent approach to the concept of 'expression' as it would be understood by the ancient Egyptians. The various representations are more than just' pretty pictures'....each one is a valid ritual...a working which is conducive to that civilization's approach to the 'workings' of the natural universe. Each completed working is a valid representation, true to its original function, in context to current cultural elements! Setken is a 21st century scribe. A priest. The 'Hieroglyphs' are accurate and reflect an Old Kingdom approach wherein the words themselves, while stark and 'brutal', convey a direct message and utterance. There is no pretentiousness on the part of the artist."
Zap Tripper
I am flattered by Zap's words. I have been admiring his work for some time myself, and wrote a blog post about him in 2013 here. He dedicated a wonderful work to me in 2014.
Zap's website is here.
