Researching the Sublime

The Tate Gallery explores the power of the sublime in this fabulous site.
"The sublime has long been understood to mean a quality of greatness or grandeur that inspires awe and wonder. From the seventeenth century onwards the concept and the emotions it inspires have been a source of inspiration for artists and writers, particularly in relation to the natural landscape."

To make our constructed scenes, we studied representations of humanity pitted against monumental forces throughout art history. The landscapes of 19th century Romantic painters like John Martin, Caspar David Freidrich and J.M.W. Turner exemplify this. These artists employed various devices for heightened dramatic effect: light and darkness, turbulent seas, ferocious storms, dizzying chasms, raging rivers, insurmountable mountains, minute struggling humans. The presentation of human travail against great odds was intended to make viewers feel vulnerable, and to elevate them to recognize the struggle we share.

With ramped up color and action, current apocalyptic films and video games are the descendants of the romantic tradition. Both traditions are meant to induce terror via spectacle. Both try to move us to new considerations. Perhaps by contemplating worst case child care scenarios, we could stimulate ideas about an equitable and compassionate alternative.