Publisher's Synopsis
Dark SEcrets Hidden in Layers How I, as an artist, was Seduced and then Betrayed by Gustav Klimt's Art And How this realization moved me to Become a Feminist Art Analysis, Review & Commentary By Grace Divine My name is Grace Divine. I am an American woman artist, painter, sculptor, photographer, etc. I made the books in this series, including this book, in preparation for a series of 8 lectures that I did in the Summer of 2016 in Southern California. The lectures included 8 artists, Klimt, Picasso, Van Gogh, Dali, Rodin, Kahlo, Banksy and Duchamp. All artists who have been significant in my career. Up till then, Klimt's work had been tremendously influential to my work. One of my first series, comprised of 16 paintings, and completed early on in my career, was directly inspired by Gustav Klimt. These are mostly self-portraits and studies inspired by portraits done by Gustav Klimt. And in fact, one of the paintings in that series, "The Kiss of Death," made it to the acclaimed BBC Documentary, "The Private Life of a Masterpiece: The Kiss, Gustav Klimt." In addition, I have made hundreds of other paintings that were also influenced by Klimt's style including the self-portrait in the background of this page. Furthermore, during this time spanning at least 2 decades, to which I will refer to as my Klimt loving time, I received a Masters Degree in Arts and Humanities. But what I found out in preparing for the lectures and in putting together this book, is that all those years, where I naively idolized and adored Klimt's work, I was ignorant to a reality so dark and repulsive within Klimt's work that when I first found out about it, it made me sick. And frankly, the result is, that I can never bring myself to look at Klimt's art in the same adoring way I did before. What it boils down to, is that in my review of his work and opinion, Gustav Klimt sexually exploited women. And further, I accuse him of abusing his status and corrupting the artistic process in order to do this. And in this book, I place this before the Court of public opinion as I ask you, dear reader, to be the judge. And to decide whether or not it is possible that Gustav Klimt might have been a sexual predator. But in the end, it doesn't matter what one person thinks. However, the study into these issues is relevant if only to understand how women have been manipulated and discriminated against through the centuries. And how they have been kept down, denigrated and diminished. And in particular in such fields as art, resulting in there being so very few female painters of fame or renown. What this demonstrates is how women have been and are being taught to act as against their own best interests by a culture that is rich with chauvinism and hatred towards the female part of the species. In retrospect, writing this book has changed me in more ways than one. And if I wasn't a feminist before, I am a feminist now. In the end, I believe that there is a kernel of truth in all things. And often, it takes work to find it. But it is definitely worth searching for. Finally, as I look into my future as an artist, it is my earnest hope that as I struggle to make peace with an artist who had such a great impact in my work, I will find some kind of redemption that shines through in his work. I dedicate this book to everyone who seeks ultimate truth, and in particular, in art. Grace Divine
