Friday 6 April 2012

non-documentary and some horror falling through the fuggiest of voids


These photos were taken unsuspectingly whilst I was making a new and rather large piece of artwork.  I'm not normally photographed whilst making my work - I'm not usually actually with people whilst I'm doing my work - especially when I'm in my boxroom - so thought I'd include these images to my blog because they are the closest I've ever felt to looking like a documentary. 

This blog is pretty much entirely about my developing ideas and artwork it seems only right that they be included and are followed with the finished work of art.  The process of producing this artwork included tearing bits off a very large collage made on an old and warped canvas which I'd dumped long forgotten and then decided to make something with.  Art does tend to clutter the place up, so any ideas for saving space always appeals to me and making new work over old work.  Working over this old canvas gave me the opportunity to experiment with wallpaper paste, paint, marker pens, and leftover detritus from my installation last year.  These three photos are just of me putting the finishing touches to this picture with my favourite marker pens.  You can see it took at least long enough for the sun to traverse the sky to a point where it was glaring right through my window - highlighting the moment that I felt that I'd nearly finished and also just before the photographer spilt some of her foundation on the top middle of the picture - which i just rubbed into the image with a calm and lackadaisical disregard.

I think the results of this is a good sign that I need to start doing this with all my other old images on canvas - most of which are at least 3 years old and mainly stuck down with poundland glue sticks - no point in holding onto those - get some new work done on top of all the old stuff and stick to my idea that my art is one developing organism that should be allowed to grow and alter - and that there is no such thing as a finished piece of work for me, that everything I do is part of a becoming of something else.  Until I finally do reach some terrifying finite point.

This is the as final as final can be at the moment result:


To me it looks like some sort of living ruin built on the crumbled remains of a skull on a 2d schematic of swirling static with hints of dark night shadows - lines erupting upwards through the industry of blood and soot. It's organic and representational - the middle of the fixed up skull is going inwards into some hell mouth - the industry within is a death industry and the red outbursts are ghosts of effort and progress wailing to nowhere.  It also remains a living circuit - a decaying tooth submerged in a dirty skewed gum bleeding through the fissures.  There is actually something there and this is a sign that my head is getting out of the fugginess of voids and death and into some form of grisly representation.... this picture looks like it is some horror coming out of a void.

Maybe I should tread carefully or something from a HP Lovecraft story is going to come down from the stars and eat me all up.  Again.  So feel free to share any nicer interpretations you may have.

4 comments:

  1. It's really great this one. It seems, like your saying, quite transitional.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It does look like something is straining to burst through, and when it does it's going to be DISGUSTING: blood and guts everywhere. THe photos are great because you and your patterns and the patterns of the pictures in the background all mix together, it's wild, I love it. Nice composition, half artwork, half Garf.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I like the background too - makes me look as if I work in some kind of wonder factory - like I'm some kind of Willy Wonka - maybe I should wear some kind of colourful top hat when doing artwork.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hmm.........nicer interpretation. Sticking with skull/Willy Wonka idea: what about sweets, sugar skulls, streamers and a hint of alcohol at a late night post-Day of the Dead celebration? Love this one! Great pics!

    ReplyDelete