Tatomir stands in front of the largest painting in the Helements series, Tartar -- Tartarus
Saturday night I attended the opening of my friend Tatomir’s mind-bending solo show, Helements, at Congregation Gallery in Hollywood. Tatomir was inspired by both Greek mythology and ancient alchemy to interpret a world of characters forged in the elements from the depths of the underworld all the way up to the shining sun in the form of Apollo.
The opening was well-attended, with artists including Franky Babylon, Chris the Creep, Arjen Tuiten, and Christopher Ulrich, artist and curator Cam Rackam and Hyaena Gallery owner Bill Shafer all on hand to support our beastly friend Tatomir.
Helements is a provocative show. As artist Christopher Ulrich pointed out, our removal from the large-scale myths Tatomir considered in this series underscores how culturally bereft our modern society is. Ancient civilizations promoted mystical tales with enormous characters and unifying symbols to explain and explore their world. There was a sense of magic that is now dismissed as superstitious nonsense by most people. But in exchange we are left with an emptiness that 24 hour news networks and technology never fill.
I learned a lot about Greek mythology by questioning Tatomir and reading explanations of the work online. And I enjoy the brutality of the vengeful characters in the stories. For instance, Tatomir paints Ouranus, and his sons the cyclops, who rose up and castrated him after he had imprisoned them in the belly of their mother Earth. He also paints Ixion, who was strapped to an eternally burning wheel of fire as punishment for his lustfulness. The stories and Tatomir’s oil paintings more than sate my craving for chills and thrills.
This is an astonishing piece. Tartar-Tartarus depicts the pit beneath the earth and the alchemical symbol for Tartar, a poisonous substance obtained in wine barrels. Though originally distinct from the underworld Hades in Greek mythology, Tartarus did become a synonymous region. The woman at the top of the painting with snakes flowing from her hair is the Queen of Hades, Persephone. Beneath her is a river of blood and fire with many tortured souls. Three tortured souls are given special attention at the bottom of the painting including from left: Tantalus, who stood in a pool of water he could not drink with grapes above his head that he could not reach to eat, Ixion who was strapped to an eternally spinning ball of fire and Sisyphus who was forced to continually roll a boulder up a hill. The whole world is inside the many mouths of a Hydra serpent beast. The painting is available for $880.
Artist Chris the Creep and his wife Keri look at Tatomir's paintings
This painting depicts, Gaia, Mother Earth, along with the alchemical symbol for Earth. Gaia represents fecundity and creativity as the mother of all creations including the gods and mortals. She appears here as a glistening, primordial vagina, cavernous and almost sighing. If you look closely you'll see that the volcanos in the landscape are breast shaped with lava spewing out of the nipples -- Gaia nursing the Earth. This series also includes Gaia's counterpart, Ouranus. Gaia is available for $377.
Artist Arjen Tuiten points at the camera
Sulphur -- Cyclops Brontes. In this piece Tatomir combines the alchemical symbol for the active substance Sulphur, with one of the three elder cyclops, Brontes. The cyclops were the sons of Gaia and Ouranus, who, fearing their strength, locked them in the belly of Earth. Eventually they were freed and gifted Zeus and his brothers with powerful tributes. Brontes gave Zeus the thunderbolt. Tatomir painted all three of the cyclops brothers, but Bronte is my favorite. This painting is available for $251.
From left, artist Frankie Babylon, artist and Congregation curator Cam Rackam, artist Chris the Creep and his wife Keri
The Helmet of Darkness portrayed in this painting is also known as the Cap of Invisibility and the Cap of Hades. The helmet hides its wearer from other supernatural beings. This is a very cool piece and Tatomir excellently achieves the dimensional roundness of the helmet and its separation from the background. This painting is available for $125.
Artist Chris Ulrich and Hyaena Gallery owner Bill Shafer study Tatomir's paintings. You can see Tatomir and Chris the Creep behind them.
Fire -- Hecatoncheires -- Cottus, depicts the central element of alchemy, fire, in its symbolic form and with flames and red and orange hues. It also depicts the Hekatoncheires, three giant gods of violent storms and brothers of the cyclops. Each Hecatoncheires had one hundred hands and fifty heads and were bound in the pit of Tartarus until released by Zeus. This painting is available for $315
Tatomir astonished a few of us with this painting, Thunder - Zeus. He took on the challenge of visually representing an abstract thing that is identified through sound. How do you paint thunder? Tatomir achieved the powerful clashing feeling with dark storm clouds and echoing rings. I especially like the gnarly tree branches and the green paint drips which signify drenching rain. It's available for $125.
Dahlia Jane and Tatomir
To see more of Tatomir’s Helements, visit Congregation Gallery or Tatomir’s website.
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