 |
From Barbara
McGill Balfour, m melancholia & melanomata, artist's book. |
In the text of m melancholia &
melanomata,1 Balfour represents states of mind in which
feelings of loss, alienation, inadequacy and, occasionally, exhilaration
come into play. The ambiguity that characterizes Balfour's exposition of
the psychology of depression is amplified by her visual exploration of
the somatic phenomenon of melanoma. Intimate detail converges strangely
with clinical observation in 90 unique lithographs raised two inches
from the floor. These prints represent, as the artist states, "the
physical manifestation of melanoma on the surface of the skin, based on
maps of my moles and freckles, as well as its subcutaneous presence, in
cellular structures ...
 |
Barbara
McGill Balfour, m melancholia & melanomata, lithograph
(detail).
Paul Litherland |
Over the different prints, the forms can be seen to develop,
accumulate, overlap, and spread, although not in a logical
manner." Each print, measuring 20.5 by 30.0 inches, is covered
with a sheet of glass, as if ready for examination under a giant
microscope. This exaggeration of scale reveals a paradoxical beauty at
the same time as the near-repetition of patterns conveys a sense of
monotony, formlessness and incoherence. The viewer thus experiences
one of the difficulties faced by the person with cancer or depression:
that of making intelligible an encounter with an amorphous and
insidious enemy. |
