PANEM ET CIRCENSES

Character Study

Panem Et Circenses is on display at Elements Art Gallery – 131A Waratah Avenue in Dalkeith – from Thursday, March 8, ’til Sunday, March 25.

Local art lovers are invited to take a ride back in time to a quirky carnival in Depression era America with Panem Et Circenses, an exhibition of engaging and whimsical oil paintings by Bethany Marchman. Though she’s now well known for her beguiling depictions of curious characters, not all that long ago Marchman was an illustrator and storyboard artist by trade, until a world event inadvertently changed her path in life.

“A lot of it was circumstance,” Marchman says of the catalyst for her transition from storyboarding to painting. “When I first started showing my paintings I was also working in a studio that specialised in print ads and commercial storyboards. This was kind of a rare thing in Atlanta since most studios of the like are in New York or Los Angeles. During that time, the terrorist attacks of 9/11 happened. Everyone was scared and sad and so freaked out. The economy took a big hit. Ad agencies tightened their belts and the studio wasn’t getting enough work to stay in business. I then turned my focus more toward my own art and worked on a career as a painter from that point on.”

In the time since her career change, Marchman has developed a signature style that is elegant, inviting and instantly recognisable, though the artist admits this was something she struggled with early on.

“It was hard for me to find my style in the beginning. With commercial art, I didn’t like having someone there dictating what to make and how to do it. So, I think I got a little reactionary and was definitely not thinking about the sell-ability of my work. I learned to approach my painting as something very personal. I figured people may like it or may not. It makes it feel very meaningful and rewarding that way if they do like it.”

Drawing inspiration from classic oil painting masters who created breathtaking, large scale works that were full of depth and character, Marchman utilizes ancient techniques to create distinctly modern artworks that draw you into the world of her oddball characters. Innocence is a theme that has occupied much of Marchman’s previous work, but for Panem Et Circenses at Elements Art Gallery, this Star Wars loving artist gets political.

“I’m not very political with my paintings, but I really felt a need to explore different ideas around the current political and economic state of affairs - albeit in a whimsical manner. The series has a literal circus/entertainment theme. I wanted to incorporate imagery reminiscent of the Depression era since I thought it created another interesting parallel with the current issues of the world’s economy.

“A friend of mine suggested this theme once as we were talking politics. ‘Panem et Circenses’ (bread and circuses) was a metaphor coined by the ancient Roman writer, Juvenal. He was criticising the political powers that be for using cheap distractions to appease the masses and avoid civil unrest. Since America is often compared to ancient Rome and many fear a similar downfall, I found this to be an interesting notion to work with.”

_EMMA BERGMEIER