The contemporary artist Anna Di Mezza, whose artwork I have featured several times,(Evolution, Questions & Answers with Anna Di Mezza and Double Take) has acknowledged in interviews her admiration for the Italian painter Giorgio De Chirico, whose ground-breaking Metaphysical paintings profoundly influenced the Surrealists. Anna’s latest works are firmly situated in this metaphysical tradition, where the primary focus is to raise questions regarding identity, reality and the creative process.
Transience also possesses elements of Anna’s characteristic Twilight Zone style sensibility. Toward the extreme right side of the painting a portion of a glamorous female face can be seen taking shape, emerging into being. The darker stripe of paint that converges towards the pupil is suggestive of a pencil. The eyebrow is also subject to this effect, though appropriately more reminiscent of a mascara wand. Looking at this painting I get the uncanny feeling that this is a preliminary sketch for an android; that the artist is showing this ersatz figure coming to life before our very eyes. However the reality of images is always fleeting and transitory, fading away when we stop looking, returning only as fragments that haunt our dreams.
cakeordeathsite 
This is a nice piece – I like its simplicity. And yet there is much to contemplate. I wouldn’t have thought android, but now that you mention it… And in a way it harkens back to the previous piece you shared – Evolution. Is this the next step in humanity’s de elopement? Artificial life? Which ultimately raises the question ‘what is life’ and ‘what is its value?’
LikeLiked by 3 people
For some reason this made me think of Blade Runner. What is life indeed.
LikeLiked by 3 people
I Robot… also “Humans”
LikeLiked by 1 person
I prefer Philip K Dick… he wrote the rule book on these kind of questions but good point
LikeLiked by 1 person
He is an author I have not read. I do have The Man In the High Castle on my ‘to read’ pile. I should say, in my audiobook queue. What do you recommend?
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Man in the High Castle and Ubik to start of with
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great, thanks. I’ll start “Man” as soon as I finish my current listen.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is very good… I can also recommend the fictive biography by Emmanuel Carrere called I am alive and you are dead… a real head melt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
So many books, I need two of me to keep up. Thanks for the suggestions!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahhh! Typos, typos….. development, not de elopement. What the hell is that? 😏
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mr. Cake, lovely write up and a fabulous painting to showcase, “Transience”. Funny, I see the painting completely different, quite the opposite in fact. We are here for such a brief time, during this time we are in a constant state of transition, eventually succumbing to the flaws of our human frailties: the temporary. For me there’s an implied transition to a collective state of being/consciousness, one where form as we know it doesn’t exist but rather it takes on as undeviating linear existence. Math and numbers do rule the universe, so why not? ~ Miss Cranes
LikeLiked by 3 people
Damn Miss Cranes I hate to admit it but I think you are explanation is better. That is the beauty of this kind of art, that both explanations could be right. Glad you enjoyed Anna’s work, she pops over sometimes so I am sure she will love your analysis.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well you do have a position of advantage. Absolutely, I agree it’s what inspires thought on a different level. I hope to think that the more a piece of art elicits a reaction/response the more successful it is.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Agreed, universal agreement on the meaning of a piece of art is the kiss of death I think. One place where is good to have differing view points.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I know we’ve talked of this before, ideally to created a piece of art and have it viewed with the artist’s intent would be ideal, impossible. With that in mind the smart and brilliant artist will take this into account with their creation and cleverly cast a wide net.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Indeed, also I think sometimes the artist doesn’t necessarily know everything about the work they are creating. Nice to get different responses.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hi Mr Cake an interesting article could it be that although human she is devoid of emotion?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It could be, it is an interesting, open ended painting.
LikeLike
Yes I agree with your comments, have a good day Mr Cake.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you kindly.
LikeLike