ARVON WELLEN
paintings, prints and photographs
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SITE UPDATED 06 / 03 / 2013
This series of prints was based on the books of Frances Yates and in particular her studies of Ramon Llull. The idea behind the print series was then expanded to include ideas about the effect of science and technology on society from Llull's time to the present day.
Ramon Llull
Ramon Llull (1232-1315) was born in Palma, Majorca. He became the tutor of James II of Aragon, and he was a scholar who wrote in Latin, Catalan, Occitan and Arabic. For the early part of his life he was an adventurer and a "bit of a lad" until he had a religious epiphany in 1265.
LLULL and LITERATURE
His first major work Art Abreujada d 'Atrobar Veritat (The Art of Finding Truth) was first written in Catalan before it was translated into Latin. He studied widely, with some of his writing being influenced by the Arab world. He wrote treatises on alchemy and botany, Ars Magna, and Llibre de meravelles. He also wrote a romantic novel called Blanquerna, this was the first major work of literature written in Catalan, and it was perhaps also the the first European novel. Rather than rejecting the Arab world Llull, to a certain degree, embraced it. He wished to encourage others to study Arabic for the purpose of converting Muslims to Christianity.
EXHIBITION
The full set of 16 prints were exhibited in July 2001 in Palma de Mallorca. In order that these digital prints should have the quality of traditional lithographic prints, rather than the qualities of a reproduction, the colours were printed in several separate printings. This method of layering one colour on top of another created richer colours and darker blacks. It also introduced the qualities of "overprinting" where underlying colours and details can be seen through a transparent upper layer.
RAMON LLULL - LIFE
The story of Llull's life has been coloured by the details leading up to his epiphany. He has been described as a womaniser during the period of his early adult life, and how the sight of the cancerous breasts of a woman he was chasing was the point at which he turned him away from that way of life. He then turned to Christianity and scholarship.
These stories may or may not be true, but what is more important is his role as a thinker who influenced generations to come.
There are those who see him as the father of the computer in his work with computation. He obtained results to questions by the use of adjustable paper disks.
