BLiTCH Book >> Glitch Boss Ras Alhague
Artist feature issue #1 by @cybershakti
Welcome to the 1st feature of Haus Of Shakti > Zine.
What a ride this week has been, the world has overnight started following what’s happening with the Sotheby’s GLITCH: Beyond Binary’s re-curated line up!
And why not? This event is a doubly historic
Representation & Inclusiveness >>
Representation of Glitch Art >> What is GLiTch has always been a whole conversation, we will deep dive & demystify this over the coming weeks, you may just want to hit that << Subscribe >> button ;)
Aren’t you curious? >>
Who are these artists and why are you not obsessed with them already?
I will be covering featured articles about the artists from the re-curated GLITCH: Beyond Binary.
“GLITCH: Beyond Binary” auction at Sotheby’s, curated by the amazing Dawnia Darkstone & Dina Chang.
<<< And to bring you upto speed on the background of the exhibit, here is Stellabelle’s substack given you a run-down of what transpired and how Sotheby’s was shaken into pausing it’s original limiting glitch art auction >>>
<< I coined the term BLiTch around this time, it was my birthday on the 28th while the sotheby’s situation was still unfolding, with no idea that I too, eventually would find my-self in the re-curated line-up >>
Now that I have hooked-up you with the must know information, let’s dive into the first feature write up, where I am inviting you to totally fan-girl over BLiTches >> Bosses of GLitCh!
<< Ras Alhague >>
>>> Where to find them? Twitter // Website // Instagram // Sotheby’s piece
Did you know, Ras Alhague /ˈræsəlheɪɡ/,[11][12] is a binary star and the brightest star in the constellation of Ophiuchus, the star they are named after?
“Probably the ONLY thing Binary about me” They tell me as they laugh.
I know Ras virtually over 7-ish years now via the Glitch Artists Collective, a facebook group with over 87.K Glitch artists in present times. The group was a much more underground scene & along with Dawnia, Ras was one of the moderators I used to be very taken by, for their outspoken badass nature, often known for banning any trouble makers. “I will ban your a$$”.
Since when have they been making Glitch art?
I asked Ras about when they started making art, they said it was about 10 years ago when one of their friends told them “They found something they could do the rest of their lives” and then Ras laughed n said “Look at me now, been doing this for 10 years already”
Over the years, Ras’s work has evolved from making landscapes and to more avant-garde statement pieces involving self portraits.
They told me using stock images never made the work ever truly feel their own, and as an artist, I relate hard.
Their work is a melange of self-shot photography, fashion styling and then, of-course using their array of Glitch making skills to tell a visual story >>>
Their works are often exploring desire, power, control and beyond.
**“**Ras Alhague's unique "post-fetish" style challenges the viewer to question their own preconceptions about desire and control. The intimate self-portraiture, combined with the evocative use of glitch aesthetics, forges a compelling narrative that encourages contemplation of the multifaceted nature of identity” ~ Dawnia Darkstone
Over the years, having witnessed their work evolve over 9+ years has truly been a joy. Currently their work is on auction at Sotheby’s >>>
About their Sotheby’s work “What Blooms Beyond”
Why is this piece so iconic?
The image is very attention-grabbing and causes the viewer to rethink their ideas about power dynamics and self-expression.
The choice of using bondage clothing in the picture represents the restrictions that traditional gender norms can impose on individuals. Holding the glitched flowers in the picture also represents taking control of personal power and defying societal limitations. The glitched flowers themselves symbolise the diversity and fluidity of gender expression that can emerge when we break away from binary thinking, with their vivid colors and distorted petals.
Today is the LAST day to BID on their piece >> Fun fact, they only ever have 1 other NFT, so their works on the blockchain are pretty scarce, so to speak. Just dropping Alpha for smort collectooors ;)
Coming up in the next edition : Wondermundo, Draincain, Marta Timmer & Sky Goodman!
Your Fan-girl,
Cyber Shakti
