‘Sebastian, before or after’ is a narrative about queer life
Anthony Cudahy’s work re-contextualises the narratives of queer lives using archival images or art-historical reproductions to make domesticated scenes about queer life and give them a moment in history. “Sebastian, before or after” is an abstract oil painting created by Cudahy in his recent exhibition “Double Spar”. This essay will set out to explore the content of this painting to demonstrate the difficult narrative of the idea of a queer life. Looking at Cudahy’s work you can consider three main themes; mirrored worlds, character study and the clashing of colours to establish the connection it possibly is believed the artist is aiming to make.
Firstly, looking at Cudahy’s work you notice a clear motif of mirrored worlds which speculates the idea of the world we had and the outcome, being the study in the process of coming to terms with queer life in a domesticated scene between the mirrored worlds. In the context of “Sebastian, before or after” it could point to the world the study had been a dull, overwhelming, breaking image of a home in contrast to the vibrant simple life ahead. In the title, the phrase “before or after” sets a scene for the painting to comment on the mirrored worlds, the left of the painting takes up most of the canvas seemingly being an abstract, domestic landscape that includes an upturned tree and an entangled squiggle, in contrast, the smaller right side being seemingly unpainted, a life not lived yet or a world the study can make their own as a prior article stated “mirroring is used as compositional and narrative device to expand the material potential outside the space of the scenes”(Roberts ,2023). Looking at the mirrored worlds in a deeper meaning you could compare them to heaven and hell, the study is reaching for the right world as it creeps onto the left side which in the context of the painting asserts an idea of hell or choosing sin. Building on this argument the bible states “…as for murderers, the sexually immoral… their portion will be in the lake that burns…”(King James Bible,1989, Revelation 21:8) being hell, the vibrant red right side of the painting, which throughout history and the modern-day being queer some people believe you will go to hell for your sexuality. The study moves from the domestic crumbling side that proposes an idea of heaven starting to break through the upturned tree, the normalcy being upturned creating a question of whether the figure once new is now broken furthermore reaching out to the other world or the after.
Secondly, in “Sebastian, before or After” Anthony Cudahy uses colour deliberately to demonstrate the relationship of a person with a queer life, the colours used are deliberate and draw attention to the figure as their narrative and their decision as Anthony Cudahy said, “I now understand colour as a force or a personality,” (Roffino, 2022) in this case the relationship between the sides. Having looked at the painting you notice the left side of the painting is full of cool tones and dulled-out colours, in many cases this could suggest there is life but you're not living as it’s a harsh cold environment made out of a supposed domestic scene. The figure is bold in colour emitting a glow in comparison to the background as Anthony Cudahy states “Significant experiences happen in quiet moments. There are entire worlds in subtle saturation or value shifts” (Siller, 2023) pointing to the idea of as the figure no longer fitting with the left side of the painting, the right side is physically taking over as you can see by the crossing of the hands over the border. The colours define a narrative, and the shift represents the change of relationship happening as the saturation of colours moves, the figure does as well physically and emotionally. Furthermore, the vibrancy of the red is bold and eye-catching and compared to the other side it is simple but passionate in how it stands out, the red indicates the same idea of “sin” implying the hellish nature of the shift of colours. Despite this, the red remains a cool tone as it’s an uncharted world, but the figure remains warm against the background proposing the idea of their still separate as there’s contemplation but the red still creeps slowly in because coming to terms with queerness is a complex, personal experience that takes time. |
Finally, the study of the character suggests that “Sebastian, before or after” demonstrates the relationship of a queer person because the figure is referenced from sources the artist collects “stills, snapshots of his partner, ancient sites, hagiographic icons and the photography of his great uncle” (hales,2023) creating a personal scene that shows the artists narrative of queer life. In the painting the figure is facing away, which defines the moment as personal to that person, their head is tilted right as their body remains on the left side of the border implying the choice being made, it brings up a question of longing as the figure creeps their hand over into the right side whilst remaining on the left, the ‘normal’ place. Hales Gallery claim Cudahy is “Bringing the past into the present, the sensitive works re-visit and expand on the original references”(hales,2023) emphasising the idea of contemplation happening in the scene, they haven’t quite let go of the before or moved into the after, the figure remains as the now based on examples of queer snippets the artist has taken interest in creating the narrative of coming to the end decision.
In conclusion, ‘Sebastian, before or After” highlights the narrative of queer life through the three main themes: character study, mirrored worlds and the clashing of colours enriching the viewer with a deeper look at the painting. The evidence suggests that the figure is split between a decision that is a sensitive, personal moment with the ‘before’ to the left and the ‘after’ to the right creating the mirror of worlds, the now being ‘Sebastian’.
Bibliography
Hales Gallery (2023), Anthony Cudahy, Available at: https://halesgallery.com/artists/139-anthony-cudahy/overview/ ( Accessed: 27th October 2023)
King James Bible (1989) New York: National Council of Churches
Roberts, K.(2023) ‘ Anthony Cudahy, Double Spar’, New Exhibitions, 9th October. Available at: https://www.newexhibitions.com/e/62542 (accessed date: 28th October 2023)
Roffino, S. (2022) ‘ For Anthony Cudahy: Colour Is A Character’, Cultured, 1st December. Available at:
https://www.culturedmag.com/article/2022/12/01/anthony-cudahy-young-artists-2023-color-theory
(Accessed date: 27th October 2023)
Siller, H. (2023) ‘ The mundane meets the sacred in Anthony Cudahy’s richly drawn figures’, wallpaper, 9th October. Available at: https://www.wallpaper.com/art/exhibitions-shows/the-mundane-meets-the-sacred-in-anthony-cudahy-richly-drawn-figures ( Accessed date: 26th October 2023)
List of illustrations
Cudahy, A. (2023) Sebastian, before or after [oil on linen] London, Hales gallery.
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