The term “becoming” literally translates as “the whole flows (as a river)”; figuratively, it is translated as “everything flows, nothing stands still”. The concept of “becoming” in philosophy is strictly connected with these two terms: movement and evolution. As “becoming” comprises of “changing to” and “moving toward” respectively.
Poodien’s body of work takes a critical view at the socio-political and economic role on the representation of “reality” in the media, e.g., state propaganda, public relation campaign, and also in the contemporary physical world that we live in right now that constantly reproduces it's own image through mechanical reproduction of the media and electronic technology. In Poodien’s works, he deconstructs the subject by using different methods and techniques from digital collage to mixed media painting on canvas and paper. It tells a story of the condition where the difference of reality and representation collapses, and therefore, we are no longer able to see a reflection of the image, but just the trade of signifiers in culture detached from the real world. The reality that we create now has no reference to any basis of the real world whatsoever, but a copy that has no reference to the original. This situation can be understood by how the city landscape is created with its maps, architecture and advertising from different style and tradition preceding the territory that bears no connection to the real world.
Becoming consists of works that were produced over a period of two years (2012-2013). Based on the subject and nature of each work, Poodien uses different approach to present his ideas, i.e., modifying site-specific works and installations into self-contained formats. All the works are essentially a collage, from actual paper prints, digitized prints, reprints of prints in books, re-appropriation, ready-mades to images painted from photos. These are images that paint our fragmented and destabilized reality.
Poodien's work deals with various subjects, medium and form, including painting, digital graphics, installation and performance. Methodologically, he crosses over between direct action, social experiment, collective work and individual creation, focusing on confrontation and force in the individual and in society. As he puts it, he is particularly concerned with issues of "individual freedom and the problem of obsolete, unchanging, dogmatic, foundational truth". Deriving his influence from various art practices and school of thought as well as 'ordinary everyday life', Poodien identifies, applies and tests his open-ended experimental works against the responses of the public and the realities of his social context.
Image: © Poodien, Richard Koh Fine Art
