Dimensions: 70 x 100 cm
Signed and dated p.d.: 'G. Jeżak | 2021'
Signed, dated and described on the reverse: 'CERTIFICATE | Author: Grazyna Jeżak | Title : "Happy monkeys three" | Technique: oil on canvas 100 x 70 | Created: 2021 | Working title "Urban Jungle" | Grazyna Je¿ak'
Literature
The motif of three monkeys is extremely popular in both art and mass culture. "Three Wise Monkeys" is a Japanese proverb "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" depicted through sculpture or painting. The three monkeys are: Mizaru, who covers her eyes so she sees no evil, Kikazaru, who covers her ears so she hears no evil, and Iwazaru, who covers her mouth so she speaks no evil, which can be interpreted as: "Don't look for and point out other people's wrong actions and words."
The most popular representation of this proverb is a 17th-century carving above the entrance to the stables at the famous Nikkō Tōshō-gū chram in Japan. Arguably, the proverb came to Japan with a Buddhist legend, most likely from India via China in the 8th century. The proverb reads in Japanese: "mizaru, kikazaru, iwazaru," which literally means "can't see, can't hear, can't speak." Sometimes one can also hear the theory that the Japanese relief was inspired by Confucius' well-known maxim, which alluded to not seeing, not hearing and not saying what is wrong. To keep silent when one wants to criticize something.
In her painting "Happy Monkeys Three," Grazyna Jeżak makes a humorous reference to Japanese monkeys. One of the monkeys is staring at a man, the second has a wide-open muzzle, while the third has stuck out his tongue and is sticking out his ears... In front of them stands the figure of a man, who towers over the monkeys and is probably watching them closely. The monkeys have been immortalized against the backdrop of an urban jungle, which may lead one to think that we are all, in a way, such monkeys looking for happiness.
