Lindsay Chapin

John Wiliam Godward has been classified as a "High Victorian Dreamer" for the entirety of his painting career. His infatuation with classical antiquities at the end of the Neo-Classical era of art has led to an audience which was overly-critical of his Greco-Roman obsession. Misunderstood and swept under the rug for a century, I've discovered the work of Godward without preconceptions and found the romanticism of "Sweet Idleness" during a time of constant movement spellbinding.

I immediately caught wind to Godward's great attention to detail, which can be attributed to his appreciation for the little moments in life. Finding similarities in my own process I looked to create an homage to his art form, but in a modern sense. Focusing on Godward's use of contrasting skin-baring models, fabrics, props and scenery I strove to take it a step further by layering with projections of modern landscape paintings (by Susannah Bleasby). Constructing each image alongside direct inspiration from the original misconception of time and place for the viewer, but does not take away from the original motivator; la dolce far niente.

Each image is paired with items used within other frames, creating connections between the subjects and the original inspiration of John Godward's mind. These act almost as portraits on antiquated thought, linking the viewer to the mind of the artist's past-tense mentality. For even a moment the viewer can let their mind wander while processing the subtleties, something we do not get enough of in today's world.