Light and Dark

July 2021

One of the enduring dualities or dichotomies of humankind is the relationship between light and darkness. Many creation myths in the west involve light emerging from darkness, while many destructive myths involve darkness engulfing light. Light and dark are opposites, but there is never one without the other.

Over the millennia, darkness has become associated with evil, hell, fear, death, power, negativity, and irrationality; while light is thought of in terms of goodness, heaven, peace, righteousness, life, positiveness, and rationality.

In a more contemporary setting the roles of light and darkness have become increasingly complex through explorations in the fields of philosophy, psychology, and science. Romantics and existentialists see darkness as a necessary condition of life – not only essential to any true fullness of being, but also essential to human freedom. The psychologist Carl Jung observed that the negative characteristics, which he labeled the shadow, lodge in human unconsciousness resulting in self destructive thoughts, emotions and behaviors. He advocated that one must become conscious of these shadow qualities and integrate them into one’s conscious personality thus becoming whole (embracing good and evil—light and darkness).

Hib Sabin’s creativity emanates equally from the unfettered, unconscious dark side of his being as from his rational light side. Once a raw, creative idea emerges from the darkness, his conscious, rational mind shapes and fine tunes it into a finished product.

The work in this exhibit explores light and darkness from a number of points of view. In most instances Sabin has actively attempted to strike a balance between light and darkness.

Exhibition Dates: