Renewing the spirit no. 4

David Griggs is an Australian artist whose work is largely informed by his experiences of living in South East Asia. His forte is painting, but installation, photography and video are also important facets of his practice. This work, 'Renewing the spirit no 4', is a grungy post-pop painting that was probably inspired by Griggs's observations of Roman Catholic festivals in Manila in the Philippines, specifically Holy Week and Day of the Dead. Here, Griggs has appropriated, in a typically irreverent manner, imagery associated with these ceremonies such as skulls, crucifixes and apocalyptic horsemen, as well as symbols synonymous with Filipino nationalism and street culture, including eagles, balaclavas and flowers. The inventive ways in which European and American culture, imparted through centuries of colonialism and imperialism, is adopted and adapted by Filipino society appears to be a key source of inspiration behind this particular work by Griggs.