Edmond Brooks-Beckman: The Contraction of Ein Sof
The Contraction of Ein Sof comes from a series of Jewish creation myths within the esoteric traditions of Kabbalah. The beginning of life in mainstream thought emanated from the word of God. Within the Kabbalah traditions, however, an idea emerged that creation started through contraction. God, described as Ein Sof or the infinite light, contracted itself to open up enough space for life to emerge, a concept called Tzimtzum. This body of work explores the possibilities of this idea of contraction, as a necessary component for life to emerge within my paintings.
Focusing on the notion of contraction has created a lens through which to reflect on the relationship between memory and mark making. It has opened a safe space to go wild with my marks as there is always room to remove paint and 鈥渃ontract鈥� the painting鈥檚 mass. Through the use of a stanley blade I cut, pierce, scratch, carve and excavate paint. Using this process, I make the once visible marks on the canvas invisible, the clogged up surfaces breathable again.
My first memory of making the visible invisible comes from the ritual unmarking of my Jewish self. I remember the cavernous building that housed the Cheder school in North West London. The habitual hiding of my Jewishness would immediately take place when I stepped out of shul, removing my kippa and tucking my Magen David below my top. I felt that my identifying marks needed hiding. I was engaged in a pro- cess of unmarking 鈥� a concept that I return to consistently in my painting.
Recommended for you
The Contraction of Ein Sof comes from a series of Jewish creation myths within the esoteric traditions of Kabbalah. The beginning of life in mainstream thought emanated from the word of God. Within the Kabbalah traditions, however, an idea emerged that creation started through contraction. God, described as Ein Sof or the infinite light, contracted itself to open up enough space for life to emerge, a concept called Tzimtzum. This body of work explores the possibilities of this idea of contraction, as a necessary component for life to emerge within my paintings.
Focusing on the notion of contraction has created a lens through which to reflect on the relationship between memory and mark making. It has opened a safe space to go wild with my marks as there is always room to remove paint and 鈥渃ontract鈥� the painting鈥檚 mass. Through the use of a stanley blade I cut, pierce, scratch, carve and excavate paint. Using this process, I make the once visible marks on the canvas invisible, the clogged up surfaces breathable again.
My first memory of making the visible invisible comes from the ritual unmarking of my Jewish self. I remember the cavernous building that housed the Cheder school in North West London. The habitual hiding of my Jewishness would immediately take place when I stepped out of shul, removing my kippa and tucking my Magen David below my top. I felt that my identifying marks needed hiding. I was engaged in a pro- cess of unmarking 鈥� a concept that I return to consistently in my painting.
Artists on show
What's on nearby
