Tag: Ernie Marjoram

When it comes to exploring concepts of Zen Buddhism and contemporary art, artists have used Modern and Contemporary art approaches like Minimalism, video, and Expressionism to convey these ideas to the viewer. What about Realism? Ernie Marjoram in his solo show of new paintings “Big Fish” at TAG Gallery answers this question by exploring the behavior and nature of the Koi fish. In the Zen religion, the Koi fish is a symbol of abundance, courage, and transformation. Marjoram uses the Koi as a conduit to explore these concepts.

The Koi fish dominates and populates the pictorial space of each painting with a claustrophobic energy. The Koi fish swim in a pond with ease and urgency as they relate and react to each other. The colors of Marjoram’s paintings are filled with golds, whites, oranges and reds of the fish while swimming in a dark green and mauve water. Using the palate of Chinese and Japanese lacquer, the colors of the Koi fish represent specific ideas. The black Koi for masculinity, red ones for intense love and passion, blue to symbolize fertility and peace, and white ones representing the powerful transformation of life through rebirth.

To Marjoram, the Koi embodies concepts of perseverance through accord. Each painting has titles such as All that Jazz, Soloist, Baritones and Duet. Marjoram is pointing to a paradox. Koi fish are silent and cannot make music, yet the movements and behavior of the Koi fish is tantamount to music where rhythm and harmony are encompassed in their movements and beauty. Marjoram’s wonderful paintings are beautiful, yet they hold observations, metaphors, and lessons on the meaning of life and transformation through enlightenment.