The Stoic, the Absurd and the Whimsy

AS I HAVE mentioned, I enjoy the whimsical (read here on “Whimsical Why Not” and here). In art, it manifests as forms like the surrealist portraits in this project. There was no grand intent at the start—just a quick sketch of abstract facial features within a 1:3 rectangle on A6 paper. The next impulse: it would be a “purplish portrait within a 16 x 48-inch frame.” See Purple Haze (the first of the six, bottom, centre). To produce it, I simply went with the flow—enjoying the process, letting colours and forms find their own rhythm. Eventually, I decided all six portraits I had done so far would feature bespectacled figures and adjusted them accordingly.

With each piece, I feel I have left behind something that resonates. Some are drawn to the colours, others to the forms. A friend once remarked, “Whichever way you look at it, it’s distinctively LSJ.” Perhaps it’s the surrealist residue, or maybe just a fragment of my socio-political and biological self—something I don’t fully grasp and have no real intention of doing so.

Curious, I asked DeepSeek: “What would a Stoic in the world of the absurd say about whimsical art?” Its response delighted me: “A Stoic in an absurd world would honour whimsical art as a serene dance with chaos, finding grace in fleeting beauty without clinging—a reminder to embrace ephemeral joy while anchoring in unshaken virtue.” I rest my case for being whimsical.

That said, I enjoy storytelling too—just not here. I save that for works where narratives can unfold: self portraits in fragments (read here and here), claustrophobia ( here) and aftermath of war ( here).

Four of the above pieces are being exhibited Masry, an exhibition in Ubud, Bali (read here and here). It is a great show. So many artists coming together to speak to the world and with each other, to share experiences and dreams. I am honoured to be part of it, although I did not have the opportunity to attend its launch on February 8, 2025.