The Philosophies of Life Series.
The Philosophies of Life Series was begun in 2013 when Jonathan was coming to the end of an 8-year period living and working in Russia. While continuing to produce photographs, write and create, he also spent four years running a gold mine in the Russian Arctic and before that, four years running forestry companies in Eastern Siberia.
This fascinating opportunity to see different ways of life, ways of thinking, different landscapes both internal and external, and moreover, the long periods of time in isolation, lead Jonathan to explore his own philosophy to life and to examine it alongside those of the great philosophers of the past and present.
The works that were born of this ongoing series are in collage and mixed media and illustrate key ideas of great philosophies that struck a particular chord with Jonathan.
You Are A Little Soul Carrying About A Corpse
This work borrows classic elements of Russian suprematist composition, mixing them with baroque excess to illustrate one of the maxims of the great Stoic philosopher, Epictetus (50-135AD).
The work reminds us of the futility of fetishism of the body, the fragility of our lives and that our individuality lies in our non-physical spark of the divine.
Year: 2014
Materials: Card, paper, pencil, plastic frame.
Things Beyond Our Power
This work is the first piece in the Philosophies of Life series, that was begun in 2013. It illustrates the first line of Chapter 1 of the Enchiridion (handbook) of Epictetus, the great Stoic philosopher (50-135 AD). His philosophy for life has been adopted by great people from generals to politicians to film directors and successful entrepreneurs.
The text, in Ancient Greek, reads:
Τῶν ὄντων τὰ μέν ἐστιν ἐφ᾿ ἡμῖν, τὰ δὲ οὐκ ἐφ᾿ ἡμῖν.
This translates as:
There are things which are within our power, and there are things which are beyond our power.
Digital reproduction of original collage work.
High-resolution 8-bit colour Adobe RGB JPEG
Epictetus goes on to say, “Within our power are opinion, aim, desire, aversion, and, in one word, whatever affairs are our own. Beyond our power are body, property, reputation, office, and, in one word, whatever are not properly our own affairs.
Now, the things within our power are by nature free, unrestricted, unhindered; but those beyond our power are weak, dependent, restricted, alien. Remember, then, that if you attribute freedom to things by nature dependent, and take what belongs to others for your own, you will be hindered, you will lament, you will be disturbed, you will find fault both with gods and men. But if you take for your own only that which is your own, and view what belongs to others just as it really is, then no one will ever compel you, no one will restrict you, you will find fault with no one, you will accuse no one, you will do nothing against your will; no one will hurt you, you will not have an enemy, nor will you suffer any harm.”
Year: 2013
Materials: Card, paper, newspaper cutting, ballpoint pen.