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In Greek mythology, Gaia is the ancestral mother of all life. She gave birth to the sky and the earth, the oceans and the mountains. She is the origin of all the the personification of nature. She represents the extent of life and reverence for nature. The female, or goddess, is Bonte’s creative inspiration.
Bonte’s work contains a gentle fortitude. Each piece is explosive, manifesting the process of release, freedom and independence. As an artist he stands by the powerful saying: Give me liberty, or give me death!
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WHIRLWIND WOMEN is inspired by Gaia, the Goddess of Mother Earth. In Greek mythology, she is the primordial goddess responsible for all life. Through this piece the artist encourages us to return to nature to rediscover the most fundamental life force. It is the power of birth, the power of procreation. New life produces dreams, goodness and hope. It gives new possibility to all.
Gaia reclines upon an illuminated plane, enveloped in light; her mood appears to shift from muted to intense. Light is a formidable force that imbues life with power and here it fills the multifaceted form of Gaia with unbound life.
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TIED UP and LIBERATED WOMAN turn his previous colorful body of work on its head. Set in moody black, elevated gold and tranquil white, Bonte taps into the strength of the female with breathtaking boldness. For perspective, one must know that the artist was born in France. Here the female form was put to canvas and studied relentlessly. The Impressionists, especially Renoir’s depictions of the supple female form in light muted colors, set the foundation for the mainstream female form to this day.
Bonte takes another approach. TIED UP betrays no joy - her voice is taken away by moody darkness; she cups her ear as if to block out the world’s disdain; elevated gold binds her body. Has the soul been put in chains simply by living?
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Take a look at LIBERATED WOMEN from the same series. Without its gold fetters, the body contorts even more so and the facial expression is obscured. Ask yourself, does the release from these fetters mean the soul is truly free?
In creating these designs inspired by the female form, Eric Bonte conceals his easy nature. A closer analysis reveals the irony. Take a look at SUN DANCE and FRAGMENTED SPIRIT. In this collection of 33 pieces, these are the only two mounted in a thick black frame.
SUN DANCE shows the female form rising in dance. Arms raised, body in motion, Bonte’s sculpture complements the vibrant female form. She is in the prime of her life yet he limits her dance by framing the piece in a thick dark frame. Youth has suddenly lost its color. Deliberate limitation, like FRAGMENTED SPIRIT, shatters the soul. It is a voiceless cry in the name of independence and release.
Nevertheless, there is room to rejoice. Yes she is boxed in but the human spirit cannot be contained. Even among the ruins, she will raise her head in dance. Bonte’s work recognizes one’s power to live and the intrinsic value of every single life.
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