Blog Archives
Blog Archives
Blog Archives
Blog Archives
Over the past two decades, Carl Gopalkrishnan's artwork has garnered international recognition for his ability to forge meaningful connections between art & literature and the complex dynamics driving international law, intervention and global conflict. Carl transforms familiar cultural artefacts into new myths so legal and military minds can explore the creative, subconscious and emotional stories that shape their doctrines of war & peace. (Photograph copyright © Amanda Brown 1992)
New Publishing: Critical Military Studies, London, Volume 9 #2, May 2023
In this article of Volume 9, #2, 2023 of Routledge London journal Critical Military Studies, I share my experience of using William Blake’s 1793 poem America a Prophecy as a lens to explore the mythic, subconscious and literary constructions of military interventions in the Indo-Pacific with my 2021 painting ‘Australia a Prophecy’ & a 2000 word essay.
AUKUS Chronicles/Commentary: ‘China Seas’ -1935
“A story only the Far East could tell”. “Daring”. “Your dream of Romantic Adventure come true”. - Clark Gable. - Jean Harlow - Wallace Beery. - Rosalind Russell. No, this is not another speech by US General Mike Minihan. It is a classic 1935 Hollywood movie called ‘China Seas’ directed by Tay Garnett from Warner Bros Studio led by two memorable movie stars Clark Gable and Jean Harlow.
My talk to The Blake Society in London on my painting ‘Australia A Prophecy’, 25th Jan 2023
I was invited to give an illustrated talk to the Blake Society in London in January about my painting Australia A Prophecy in January 2023 around my connections with ORC, the fictional character from his 1793 poem America A Prophecy. Blake’s poem inspired me explore the fictional, metaphorical and mythological dynamics occurring in the ‘Indo-Pacific’ where I live.
AUKUS Chronicles/Studio Notes: Works in progress-Made in Taiwan, Hello Pretty Pretty, Run Spot Run
These are some early details from a series of works I’m working on concurrently in 2022. Anticlockwise from this top left and beneath, details from two canvases which started as a long 3 metre triptych (but I ran out of puff sorry). First one is called “Made in Taiwan”; the second is called “Supernature”. They are inspired by music from the late 70s. During the lockdowns I was listening to a lot of 70s Euro disco.
New Publishing: Exploring the mythic, subconscious & literary tensions in our Indo-Pacific region, Critical Military Studies, London, 15 June, 2022
My new article for the Routledge journal Critical Military Studies explores my painting ‘Australia A Prophecy’ where I invite William Blake’s 18th century character Orc - from his poem America A Prophecy - to travel forward in time to Australia to guide an alternative imaginary lens to unpack the gendered, mythological stories driving geopolitical & military tensions in the Indo-Pacific where I live.
Collie Art Prize 2020: I was a finalist with a self-portrait I painted after my father’s death 2 years ago
Not many people saw this painting, because Covid-19 hit hard as this exhibition just got started. I was short-listed for the Collie Art Prize with this work, but they had to close down early for the lockdown. I hope it gets a longer viewing because it is my spiritual diary during these times. 2020 was so disturbing and disorienting for us all.