DESPERATE HOPE

Immanuel Kant postulated the idea of human dignity. He describes it as inherent in humans. Ernst Bloch speaks of hope describing it to arise from despair. Despair, he says, allows for possibilities to be created in the new future. Slavoj Zizek says destiny cannot be known but changed. Hope is thus treated in philosophy as a mystery. Leslie De Melo as a keen observer of reality created two series of art works relating to Hope.

In Vienna he observed ‚Rose Peddlers’ in restaurants with dignity offering their flowers for a living to guests. In Thailand on beaches he observed natives almost drowned in swimming tires formed like birds or animals creating their survival with dignity .

Leslie De Melo used the observations in life as an inspiration, creating drawings with the narrativ of the rose peddler with tattoo and the hope paintings.
The drawings are executed with graphite on paper. Dimension 50cm x 70cm. The tattoos are original designs by the artist De Melo and they refer to the universality of beauty painted in various cultures on the body. The rose peddlers reflect different emotional states making the drawings filled with dynamics and feelings. The beholder is touched by the states of psyche.

The second series of artworks are done in acrylic on canvas. 10 paintings with the human amid a pile of swimming tires were completed. Both sexes seem overwhelmed by these figures inflated with air. The tires form a sign of illusion in shape and weight. These tires are in rubber filled with air made in China. They are found on all touristic beaches even in Greece. The figures entangled in the narrativ overcome this arduous task emerging as heros of their destiny. Inflatables reducing weight makes the task manageable.The dimensions of the Paintings are 80cm x 100cm.
These  aesthetical compositions painted in beautiful colours allows the beholder to get a glimpse of the deep mystery of despair, hope and dignity