Edvard Munch: The Sun
In this review I’ll try to figure out how the image of the sun may seem both very close and far, how remote and aloof yet deeply personal at the same time the painting and its impact can be. One thing is certain: the dominance of the star in (and over) this erratic landscape is overwhelming, and it will affect the viewer in one way or another, and most probably in both. This is a violent image, and there is something intimidating in it — the rays, like a spider’s web, try to catch anyone trying to study them. Though the colors of the light are mostly bright and warm, it is the short thick red and blue lines that grab all the attention, disorienting the viewer. Indeed, lines play an important part here; piercing and deep, they run through the entire canvas as if trying to break out and continue beyond it. Consequently, another notable effect becomes the sense of speed — the speed of light — that overpowers the observer and eliminates the calm instilled by the rocks and the beach.
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If I try to break down the initial response, two visual levels emerge: the first one concentrates in the center of the painting (the reproduction in my book differs slightly from the art print above), which is mostly yellow and white, formed by the circle of the sun and the yellow radial grid, and the second one consisting of the outside landscape along with the scattered rays, which seem to contain all the colors of the rainbow. It seems that the former bright spot produces the personal effect, whereas the rest of the piece works to dissipate it, much like a ray of light does the farther it travels from the source. It is difficult but necessary to combine the two levels; perhaps not only difficult but impossible altogether, because an explosion of no less than atomic proportions takes place here, and reconstructing and bringing the pieces together may prove to be a Sisyphean toil. Thus the combination may appear unnatural, against the flow — but perhaps that is exactly what the artist wanted the viewer to realize.
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The sun and its reflection produce the shape of a light bulb, which could be a probable allusion to the use of artificial light. This similarity further builds the argument for the natural vs. unnatural hypothesis. It’s as if the artist wished shake the viewers, cast them out of their comfort zone (the serene beach and the rocks) and confront them with a powerful all encompassing element, dangerous and unpredictable. There is something iconic, in the religious sense, about this sun, referring to ancient creeds and rituals. On a personal note, I struggled with this painting. It’s enigmatic and complex, and somewhat out of the artist’s vein. There are some abstract elements, so it can also be confusing. It resists and blocks interpretation — it just dazzles too efficiently.
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This entry was posted on Sunday, November 25th, 2007 at 10:05 pm and is filed under Edvard Munch, Symbolism. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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