The Fall: A spatio-temporal consideration of the biblical Apocalypse (12:7-9).

“et factum est proelium in caelo Michael et angeli eius proeliabantur cum dracone et draco pugnabat et angeli eius “ (Revelation: 12:7 The Latin Vulgate).

This project explores ways in which biblical references to the War of the Rebel Angels (as described in the Revelation of St John, Chapter 12:7), might visually engage with notions of The Fall. Creatively exploiting relationships between photographic, filmic, and painterly approaches to the text, the project engages the notion of The Fall as both a verb and a noun. Drawing on ideas like physicality, enigma, and certain historical, painterly references (Durer, 1498; Bruegel, 1562; Reni, 1636; Le Brun, 1680; Blake, 1808; and Doré, 1832-1883), the project, as a practice-led inquiry draws into discourse certain animated approaches to the tableau vivant.

The tableau vivant (or living picture) describes a theatrical composition of actors or artists’ models carefully posed in a dramatic display. Although traditionally elements of the tableau did not move, in this project I am interested in the potentials of dramatization as a tableau performs in a spatio-temporal environment.