The Allegory 2 – The Chase by Elena House-Hay
Medium: Acrylic
Dimensions: 13 x 19
Artist Statement: This collection of paintings (The Allegory) is a carcerative adaptation of Plato's Allegory of the Cave. In the allegory, there are people chained to the side of the cave, forced to watch a shadow show play on the cave wall across from them. A fire casts the shadowed projections of a variety of objects and the prisoners believe that these shadows are reality. The world has no depth, no color and no detail. One day a prisoner breaks free and passes by the fire and projection devices and sees how they've been deceived. The prisoner keeps walking and emerges from the cave into the real world. Their vision is overwelmed by the strong light of the sun but in time they understand the world has exquisite nuance. Once freed and enlightened, the prisoner thinks of the people still chained in the cave. Would they believe in a world they never could imagine? Could they be freed and enlightened too? The freed prisoner has some choices to make. In The Allegory Collection, the world is full of projections held up by the hand of the establishment. 1) Greed's Handout - The shadows enimating from smoke and mirrors are cast in the green light of envy, encouraging us to covet the one dimensional riches on the cave wall. 2) The Chase - As we covet, we may choose a fast life, a life of shortcuts and degradation. This causes our fall. 3) Falling Eyes Open - At rock bottom, however, we can choose to walk into the light and open our eyes to literature, dreams, and self-development. When we do, life takes on dimension and we emerge whole. 4) Emergence - This is when nature, joy, Exploration, and peace awaits us.
Image description: Silhouettes of various riches are displayed on a green background. “Covet “is written in white cursive. A line of white stick-like figures are displayed at the bottom depicting robbery and police action