So Happy Together - The Ghostly, The Violent & The Baldessari -
 

 

 
A ballpoint pen furiously scratching the surface of a photograph. It is a ritualistic act. The face on the picture is long gone, and the surface of the photo paper is starting to rip. Layer upon layer of ink. But there is no escaping the figure on the picture. By destroying the face the shape is eternalized. The absence of recognizable features turns the figure into something much more general and eternal. When scratched out, crossed out, covered or masked the otherwise forgettable figures are transformed into something ghostlike, faceless and passive, but nevertheless demanding attention.
Dating back to ancient days and beyond; the defacing of the enemy’s imagery is a universal practise. By hurting the image of your enemy you hurt your enemy, by chopping of the noose of the statues of your enemy’s gods you take away their power.
In black magic practises an image of the enemy can be created to gain power over the motif.
 
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