For Beauty Is Nothing But The Beginning Of Terror (Detail)

Photograph of a detail of Roberto Chabet's installation For Beauty Is Nothing But The Beginning Of Terror. The title is derived from the opening lines of poet Rainier Maria Rilke's 'Duino Elegies', which Chabet translated into a neon text to accompany the set of seven paintings. The five colours - green, blue, yellow, orange, and red - are based on the US Homeland Security Advisory System, a colour-coded system that depicts the current risk of terrorist activity. Added to this are two paintings in black and white. Each painting is embedded with a harmonica, which Chabet has used previously in other works. The paintings were done by Chabet's former student, artist Elaine Roberto-Navas.

The work was included in a three-part exhibition entitled 'Alarm and Chaos' at West Gallery, Manila from 31 March - 27 April 2009. The title ‘Alarm and Chaos’ is derived from Shakesperean plays, a stage instruction that calls for sudden mayhem. The two other works in the exhibition were Fear and Trembling Alone Will Be Enough and Who's Afraid of Alexander Rodchenko?

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Publication/Creation date

2009

Medium

Oil and harmonica on canvas

Content type

artwork documentation

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For Beauty Is Nothing But The Beginning Of Terror (Detail)