about the artist:
A work in progress: Venn Levi Alabaster is a self-taught (self-teaching) painter, illustrator, creative writer, poet, skateboarder and self-publishing author. He was born in Vancouver Washington (1993) where he spent his teenage years. Teaching himself to draw at age 12, his early inspirations stemmed from human anatomy, body language, animals, monsters, horror films, cartoons and nature. Later in his life, those interests would be accompanied and blended with interests of psychedelia, astrology, hermeticism, Jungian psychology, spirituality, shamanism, erotica, death/morbidity, and surrealism.
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Taking the early years of human figure practice and combining it with a matured surrealist approach, Venn conceptualizes characters/symbols to study his own psyche and underlying archetypes in his own way. These characters and symbols are also used to process his personal experiences, trauma, and repressed emotions. This is actively chronicled through his art / poetry book series Cyphers In Limbo.
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Using creativity as a vehicle, direct experience as a teacher, and intuition as a compass, Venn strives towards a strong sense of presence, purpose, and individuation; or the height of his potential through the self-knowledge of his personal and collective unconscious.
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about the project:
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Cyphers In Limbo is an art / poetry book series started in 2014. Each book in the series includes a unique sub-series collection of symbolic illustrations accompanied by corresponding poems. These isolated timelines detail my experiences, relationships, self-reflection, self-analysis, artistic concepts, personality, and perspectives on the world.
The concept that started this project came to me in the heat of an intense break-up, and at one of the lowest points in my life. I was heart-broken, tangled-up in family issues, lost, lonely, addicted, unhealthy, homeless, self-sabotaging, and avoiding the root of my problem. Having no luck trying to build a “normal” life, I found that my life couldn’t be saved in any traditional sense. I knew I would need to commit myself to an alternative, radical approach.
I sensed something inside me that was impeding my ability to move forward in life. Fears, insecurities, trauma. Repressed emotions, unresolved dramas, unbalanced perspectives, and incomplete thoughts. I realized that I could never harness my true potential and heal without understanding and knowing my own complexity. And that the complexity of my life and my wound could only be deciphered through art and writing. It was clear that the fate of my life truly depended on this work. All I knew was that I needed to get to the dark innermost core, and leave nothing unaddressed. With no guidance, no education, and no shortage of obstacles, I started to create my own way out.
“Cypher” is an alternative spelling to the word Cipher - Defined as something with no value, a person with no influence; nonentity. Or a cryptic, symbolic way of writing; a coded message.
“Limbo” is a religious or spiritual term derived from catholic theology - Defined as a midway state of indefinite waiting at the edge between heaven and hell. Or a place of imprisonment for souls that were neither good enough for heaven, nor bad enough for hell.
methodology:
I've always had a DIY, self-taught (self-teaching) approach to making art. I say "self-teaching" because I’ll always have so much to learn. I've had absolutely no formal training or education, but I believe that worked to my advantage. I've always been the type to make-due with what's around me, and I’ve had a shortage of subject matter.
There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes to make what I make. Mainly emotionally, and imaginatively. I'd say that 75% of the work is just taking time to look inward, and clearly reflect on myself and things that’ve happened. It’s about coaxing a state of lucidity that allows me to cut to the core of what I'm trying to make/say. And carefully crafting an environment that is conducive. It's a lot of reducing the bloat that comes with any creative process. The implementation follows with ease once I've done that work.
At the beginning of my process, and in what I consider to be true artwork, the only thing that matters is that I'm telling the truth, and saying what I need to say. The starting point for me is staying true to my heart. Once I have that foundation laid out, I can start building themes, concepts, characters, styles and color schemes. I like to dress up each series with a specific flare and juxtaposition that distinguishes itself from the others.
Behind every piece of art I've made, there is an archetypal presence, a personal experience, a memory, a piece of collective wisdom, or a concept I've felt compelled to create and communicate. There’s symbolism in everything I create. Using my intuition and patience, I let the symbolism reveal itself to me during the process of making the art. Sometimes it comes long before I even get to start. Sometimes it comes long after it's finished. This process comes through day-dream visions and the meditative state I get from making art.
inspiration:
I'm very motivated by the stories of struggle and suffering in life, and the gritty measures of self-salvation. I'm intrigued with the inner workings of the mind, and the relationship to the spiritual. I’m captivated by the fatal beauty of nature, and the simple code it lives by. I take a lot of inspiration from the experience I have with it. I take a lot of inspiration from my wife, and all the earnest people who choose to be in my life as well. I wouldn’t be here without their love and support.
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There are many things that inspire me to create, but at its core, it’s not as much about inspiration, as it is about survival. I believe this type of artwork to be a type of protective magic or tool. And I’m driven to make it because there's a lot of bad energy counting on my downfall. It's a constant battle that works against the addictions, the repression, complacency, conformity, and apathy. It's about revitalizing my love for life, and adapting to my circumstances. It's about not losing sight of who I am, and remembering that I am nobody.
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This kind of work, to me, is not a voluntary effort, or something I can just give up on when it loses momentum, or goes unseen. I have to find a way because I believe there is no life for me without it. I believe I have no other choice but to embody this life path, with or without success. Otherwise my life feels purposeless, and I fall deeper in reverse. It's a daily spiritual practice that exists during the creation of art, and all the moments in between. It's an inseparable experience that keeps me close to my mind, heart, and shadow.
intention:
On a surface level my work might be perceived as just dark imagery, but my intention has never been to spread evil, negativity or senseless gore. There is no affiliation, or ideology that governs my work, and I try to keep it as personalized as possible, but I do take a loose influence from astrology and Jungian psychology. In all my work, there is an intention to use the art as a tool. And while my work can be “dark” at times, this is not the place I intend to stay and fixate. I intend to evolve and create the real masterpieces that capture the scope of my ability. To reach the level I aspire to be, this will take me to the end of my life, and I look forward to the journey ahead.
Subjectively, my goal is self-expansion, healing, presence, and finding purpose. I strive to reinvent myself with every finished series, taking me a step closer towards individuation, or the height of my potential through the self-knowledge of my personal and collective unconscious. I want to reach the arc of the character in my own story. Bringing my life full circle. Bringing to light everything that has once held me down. I want to record, detail and find closure to the chapters of my past/childhood, and my eternally broken family relations. But more importantly, all the great unforgettable parts of life that shaped who I am as well. I intend to do this by healing my core wound of expression, integrating my shadow, and consistently pursuing my fears.
Objectively, my goal is to evoke, to disturb, to earn respect, and to communicate. I want to shock the cognitive system with grotesque, alternative, psychedelic, and thought-provoking imagery to challenge and break down the cultural programming that builds up in society. I’ve always loved creatively stirring things up, asking questions, and making other people (and myself) think and feel something. My priority isn’t influencing others, but if I were to make some kind of impact objectively, I would just want to be an inspiration. I want to make the most genuine connections I can with open-minded individuals based on personal and shared experience. I intend to establish myself in the world by building my portfolio, and finding the audience that truly appreciates my work. And lastly, I plan to sell my work to fund the bigger projects I’d like to take on, all the concepts I have waiting to get out, and to expand my journey of knowledge and mastery of these crafts.