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The mysterious world of MONICA CROESE

22.1.12

Malleus maleficarum * Witch hammer

Yesterday i had the house for myself and i decided to start some new drawings. Which shouldn't been difficult in this quiet time. Nobody needing my attention, phone disconnected.... And we have a soft winter, almost like spring or autumn. It was raining outside, i love the rain, a warm cup of tea, my book and pencils.


I haven't draw or paint for awhile and if that takes too long i start feeling very restless. I wanted to draw on the drawing from the post  ´A new canvas´.  But looking at the drawing i didn´t like it. I felt my heart and soul isn´t in this drawing. Maybe i feel different about it in the future and finish this drawing, but for now i reject it. I took my book Dictionary of subjects and symbols in art by James Hall. Great book i think. I randomly opened it, to see what happens. The book opened at the pages about witches. About the book Malleus maleficarum. Written in 1486 by Jacob Sprengers. He wrote about the wicked influences of women. Weak of flesh, women tried to seduce good men to destroy them. Because of this book, because of this malicious Jacob Sprengers lots of strong, smart women were accused of being a witch and murdered. Ofcourse i had read about this book before, but reading this again gave me inpiration, new ideas and thoughts. Just the other day i also had read about women being ´slaughtered´ on the internet. On television we have a daily prominent talkshow in which guests (most men i must say) talk about the news, politics etc. Most women who were guests in this show are humiliated on the internet.  They were called names, threatened to be raped and even threatened to be killed. For sure men also experience this. But there is a difference. Women are not humiliated because of their opinions, but because of their sexe. All comments are about how they look like, about sexual humiliation (slut!) and sexual threads (rape). If women have strong opinions they have to be punished so it seems. Then there is this Italian woman, Lorella Zanardo, who started a protest against Italian television were women looks like bimbos with little clothes on and doing all kinds of humiliating acts. Check out her internet movie Il corpo delle donne. 
So strange how in former days women weren´t allowed to be sexual creatures, and nowadays it seems like women have to be sexual creatures in a vulgar way. But both it's about one common thing: women are not supposed to think and to talk about their opinions. I have nothing against sex or erotica, i have nothing against naked women. I even don´t have something against nastiness. But i do have something against short-sightedness, presenting women as brainless human beings and i do have something against violence against women.
Back to the beginning, feeling restless, wanting to draw. All this information bubbled in my head. I started to draw. I made 3 new drawings. This is a new series: Malleus maleficarum. For now i show you the first 2 drawings in this series. I hope you love them as much as i do. And more of it will come, because i have lots of ideas about it.

AN EMPTY SPACE


Mixed media on paper

STAINS ON MY SOUL

Mixed media on paper

14 comments:

Caio Fern said...

so when the girl gets alone and free... she becomes creative !

lovely works.

kiss.

Brian Sylvester said...

Monica,

I know well what you mean my a "soft winter" because that is what we are experiencing here right now.

The new works are very strong, and I'm very happy to see you getting back into the groove again.

I liked your account about your market experience last post, Gabriella and myself have had many of the same experiences. Your confidence will come with time. There is always a pattern to the crowds: many people will walk by, but once in a while, the right person will stop by, and that will make the whole day worth while. Stick with it and do not become discouraged, because your work deserves to be out there.

Big hugs to you,
Brian

Harry Kent said...

Powerful work about powerful emotions. Provocative images to provoke reaction and thought.

It's always exciting to find a theme that speaks to oneself - fertile ground for a whole series of works. Who knows, maybe a second book in the making.

Best wishes with hugs.

renilde said...

Quite a theme Monica.
Powerful work! xx

Gisizee said...

Dear M, the perception of women has for so long been in the eyes and hands of men, the only way it will ever be altered into something both true and appealing is if more women create the kinds of images you are working on here! Very few men can understand and capture both the strength and the vulnerability, the ugliness and the beauty, all the contradictions and complexities of woman. They usually either idealize or demonize. I have always loved how you portray women - as they really are, a vision of both their surface and their depths. Brava!

nouvelles couleurs - vienna atelier said...

Hi Monica, I just see these! Those are rerally great, you are so one emotional and great artist, all is so tauching

Momo Luna S!gnals said...

Hi Caio,
yes time for myself, no interruptions. :-) I'm not sure if i like the term 'lovely' in this case. ;-)

Kisses for you!

Momo Luna S!gnals said...

Hi Brian,
i hope you had a great day yesterday. But you have snow.... we have sunshine and rain, which i like both actually.

Yes im back in the groove again. like that expression.

You're so right: the nice conversations i had with interested people made it worthwhile after all.

Hugs and kisses!

Momo Luna S!gnals said...

Hello Harry,
yes it's great to feel excitement about new ideas.
I was a bit afraid of what reactions i would get, because yes these images are provocative. When i had uploaded them to my FB i just then noticed how naked and vulnerable these women are.
The silence here on Blogger says a lot.
Today i received your cards from RedBubble and their great! I will make a post of it soon.
Hugs!!

Momo Luna S!gnals said...

Thank you dear Renilde!
xoxo

Momo Luna S!gnals said...

Dear Gabriella,
thank you for your wonderful comment. I also think that these kind of images are scaring both men and women somehow. To quote Caio: maybe because they're violently feminine? I just wonder. As i also wrote to Harry: i'm surprised how little comments i get on this post.
Again thank you for your sweet comment; that's what i try to express; the depths of hidden emotions.

Kisses!

Momo Luna S!gnals said...

Hello Laura,
as always it's great to see you here, reading your lovely, supportive comments.
Kisses!

Cris said...

Dear Momo,
You are a strong woman, with strong feelings and perceptions about the world outside. The way you "read" the symbols is just amazing, and I feel really close to this.
Great and sensitive drawings!!!

I appreciate your support, I´m really happy for knowing that in few days my agenda will be in your hands. Hope it can be useful to you :)

Send you my love.

Denise SCARAMAI said...

dear Momo
powerful drawings, illustrating an old theme ...
I loved your source of inspiration!
a hug