Marissa

Lemon
Lindsey Ellis
A/HI 475


BFA Final Draft Eleanor Ortland

Violently groping, perversely probing: the unrestrained frenzy of Eleanor
Ortlands Mass series draws on themes of religious fervor and radical devotion. In
each work, a Dionysiac exhibition of indiscernible perpetrators twisting, grabbing,
and penetrating explode across a shockingly bare canvas. It is difficult to ascertain
where one body ends and another begins. Collectively, they coalesce into a single
thrashing organism. Protruding from the turmoil, hastily taped cardboard hats and
crudely crafted wooden swords convey a disturbingly childish whimsy. These toys
double as signifiers of both naivet and ritualistic masquerade. While clothing and
contemporary props place the mob in a modern context, the universal themes
explored transcend both time and place.
Beneath the carnal eruption of exposed limbs and genitalia lies a carefully
researched and methodically crafted under drawing. Along with multiple color and
compositional studies, Ortland delves into the structural complexities of rendering
intertwining bodies. Throughout the series, she utilizes an illustrative technique
that is embodied by a strong yet fluid outlining of each figure. A monochromatic
color palette homogenizes the congregation and an amalgamated composition strips
the figures of any sense of identity. As a whole, the writhing bodies seem to have lost
the ability to discern their own surroundings, regressing to a state of infantile
ignorance. Tempestuously thrusting, they force themselves onto the nearest piece of
flesh. All traces of intimacy are lost; only a prevailing malevolence remains.