Doubles in Printing

I have been looking at the work of Claude Heath (mainly linked to my breaking the boundaries project). His lines are very gestural and scratchy reminding me of Cy Twombley's work. This loose and deliberately 'bad' quality is an element which I have tentatively been exploring. 

It occurred to me post presentation seminar that I could explore and combine print with other materials as the very nature of the medium means that it allows you to recreate an image more than once. I am yet to explore lino repetition - James said my doubles reminded him of Andy Warhol's Marilyns - but again referencing Heath/Twombley, I have started to play with mono print. I mono printed over the top of a canvas which didn't work very well as the only colour I had was black and it was too strong. I have prepared a washed canvas background with dribbling paint which I intend to print on and then paint over so that the marks become part of the background. The marks are created from drawing through touch - in this instance my own face. Earlier this week I created some mono printed drawings in this style and plan to paint into them this weekend (these are on paper). As part of my 'sketchbook project' I have mono printed some pages - of course in a book you turn the page so the drawing exists on both sides creating a double, whereas with the flat sheets and canvas you would generally view the front, unless the piece was suspended so one could move around it. I quite like the idea of print as it has a gestural element and the prints are a reverse of the original drawing which is kind of like looking in a mirror. 

Some mono surfaces ready to work into...

 

I am also very excited about the prospect of working with twins or siblings close in age as well as constructing my own multiples by repeating a portrait more than once. This will need a bit more research and some time as work is hectic at the moment and I am struggling to maintain my work/life balance. There are 3 sets of twins in my year group at school and another two sets in year 8 so this is a possible area for my enquiry if their parents agree.

Journey of Ideas

 

 

Reflection

Having just done the Journey of Ideas presentation, and having watched the others', it is intriging to see how we all take different approaches to exploring ideas. We have such different ways of presenting and revealing how we investigate our work - like the blog reflections I was nervous about this as I dislike talking 'infront' of an audience. However, it wasn't as bad as I thought and the feedback was positive. Could I exaggerate the difference between the pairs to ensure recognition? Looking in and looking out is an interesting idea (exaggerated by framing). I should explore self and the mirror further. Is there a difference between how a person appears in person, in a photograph and on film? The multiples remind J of Andy Warhol's screen prints - could I explore this through print repetition. Can I show different personalities of the same person? C on the last image - mirrors, portholes, ambiguous, fascinating. Self and multiplicity and reflection. So many ways to explore aspects of duality - links to yesterday's studio thoughts on monsters and goddesses, there seem to be endless ways to explore these themes. It goes back to my brainstorm from a while back on ways to show contrast - is contrast heightened when it is differences in the same person? I have to say I really loved the group presentations, it is great to have contact with everyone as I have been feeling a bit isolated recently and going back to work has made it difficult to fit everything in. Powerpoint seems to be a good way for me to present my ideas in a logical way, in addition to the post-its I'm now writing in my studio to record my reflection. I will work on paper as this is a rapid way of exploring ideas, but still work on canvases as I don't feel I can recreate the quality of the layers of paint without oil. The sketchbook project should boost me in working in this way and on a smaller scale. And possibly print (mono) or pen and wash for looser drawn lines.

Works on Paper

Reflection

I think these works on paper are successful in the sense that they allow me to work with rapidity and loosely to explore ideas. Working in multiple is quite difficult for me because I seem to be disatisfied with at least one of the images, if not both. However, C said that I shouldn't become bogged down by whether I 'like' an image or not which of course is true but I find it difficult to remain impartial. Some of my left/right handed works, and blind drawings (not on this blog) could be developed with paint on top or built up in some sense. They certainly have a more 'casual' quality than some of my canvases, however I'm interested in exploring bring some of the spontaneity into my canvas paintings. Also develop some of this multiplicity into other images, so that the same person is repeated - they could be a mirror image, a twin, alter ego or split personality. I'm also thinking about playing with scale, position and expression and the same person. In addition, I'm thinking about one 'grid' painting from a photo and one left handed, or blind to further exaggerate contrast. Perhaps a reflection, or a reflected image could be worked from, or a left and then right hand drawing to create that sense of duality and 'through the looking glass'.

Painting with Green

Though my search for double portraits and (still) trying to locate my area of focus/interest I have found a few more artists who currently seem relevant to my practise. Although I am loathed to list them here it seems to be the most effective way of evidencing that I am actually processing, researching, contemplating and reflecting on my work. There must be someway of showing this process of collecting and responding to visual imagery without creating a considerable amount more work. I have realised that part of the reason I am struggling with some aspects of the course is that I have never before had to work to a brief whether this was dictating the scale, content or theme of my work.  It has always been through own choice and evidently I need to train myself to be more flexible and respond to a concept - this could also help my communication of key ideas to the audience. So establishing a 'brief' for my practise will be added - somewhere near to the top - of my 'to do' list. I am also still thinking about my feedback, particularly my lack of critical reflection and need to 'edit' my blog. I was very unimpressed at being quoted to support an argument re: the maps which I didn't want to be part of. This has made me wary of writing openly in some instances on my blog. I have never minded that it was public, but to be truly reflective there needs to be an element of trust and for me this is to avoid using my reflection to support someone else's argument, even if it fits their brief. Anyway, I digress from the original objective of this post. It is about painters. I will instinctively migrate towards female photographers as my contemporary reference point but I need to gain a greater understanding of how the mechanics of painting enable the artist to construct and communicate ideas to the audience. I don't like to quote on the blog but this seemed the best way to avoid paraphrasing general information - see key words in green.

David Harrison

'David Harrison is an artist whose love of nature is the primary inspiration for his work. Living in the centre of London where man claims every inch of space for himself, it's hard to imagine a parallel world hidden in its undergrowth where nature adapts as its habitat shrinks, but this invisible world is a cause of wonder which feeds his work.'

http://poodle666.com/index.php

Harrison also makes 3D objects which compliment the natural world in his work, mainly animals, especially owls. I love the randomly placed animals and quite remote setting.

Rather reminds me of Peter Blake's 'Midsummer' and 'Alice' paintings.

http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/exhibitions/peterblake/exhibitionguide4.shtm

http://www.rca.ac.uk/Default.aspx?ContentID=503875&GroupID=503863&CategoryID=0&CollectionId=0

I May Not Be A Ruralist Any More...

 

Party (Sing Song) - Peter Blake

The process of collaging is often used by Peter Blake as well as his painted works. Although these two pieces are different, he still plays with scale, the figure and layers referencing play.

http://www.jealousgallery.com/artist.asp?ID=100&F=Top%20artist

Hernan Bas

'The figures in Hernan Bas's paintings are charged with potential. Captured at various thresholds - between youth and adulthood, innocence and experience, public and private realms - and situated within a shifting terrain of interior and exterior spaces that bring to mind poles of intellect and physicality, the androgynous boys in these paintings engage in rituals of courtship, love and death that seem to be based on a theatrical exaggeration of emotion.'

http://www.victoria-miro.com/artists/_3/

Red Herring - Hernan Bas

'Though recently transplanted to Detroit, Michigan, Hernan Bas is still considered one of South Florida's most celebrated artists and one of its most prolific-turning out many-layered compositions depicting naturalist themes, compelling subjects, and symbolism that is both manifest and mysterious. References to the Romantic poets, the American transcendentalists and mythology appear prominently in his work. His signature inspired landscapes reveal an abiding love for, and faith in the transformative powers of nature. But, Bas's landscapes are as concealing as they are revealing.'

http://snitzer.com/past/forest/index.html

Conceal and reveal...mythology, stories, engaing due to context and layering.

The Forest for the Trees - Hernan Bas

Tim Maguire

http://www.tim-maguire.com/index.html

Stunning plant paintings. Definitely not bad. Digital photographs are used for painting stimuli, introducing an element of trickery as the quality of the paintings is saturated and photographic.

Reflection

Clearly there is something about the outside environment which interests me. This is a suprise as I have always referenced wallpaper, but only the kind which twists and turns and drags you in. The opportunity for playfulness and hiding are clear. Previously this is something which I have explored through mask and costume. Perhaps I need to try to be more playful with the media and layer up to hide and reveal figures. Referencing literature and myths is an increasing interest, although I must be careful not to do this in a literal way, but more through subverting or suggesting an idea. Animals as symbols, or referencing stories. Scale, again linking to hiding, shrinking or growing, adding to ambiguity. Also the idea of a parallel world, parallel or double persona and androgeny, looking at a hidden lifestyle or fantasy. This is proving to be really hard for me. I am going to attempt to write a brief or statement of intent for my practise and come back to it.

Magic

http://www.timwalkerphotography.com/

Scale play by making objects massive turns relatively normal scenes on their heads, the dress/lamp tree with illuminated frocks suspended from its branches. Misplaced objects (motorbike in a ballroom) and objects selected to convey meaning - a characteristic, interest or job link. Elaborate interiors with Cinderella-esque figures. Many animals, particularly birds - swans and rabbits for Alice. Frames, gardens, trees and tents creating a jungle with hideaway places. I aspire to achieve this in my work but combine the right elements. Even in his portraits there is a prop and costume element. Also there is an ambiguous narrative which allows interpretation. Walker creates scrapbooks with all the elements of his eventual images, he then extracts key symbols, for example the giant butterflies. I am a collector of images but I never seek to collate them in this way, it seems like a good way of instinctively grouping objects, similar to when I created the mapping collage pieces. This was a labour intensive process but made good use of the masses of pictures I had already accumulated.

Untitled from Tim Walker on Vimeo.

http://www.keiraknightley.com/media/thumbnails.php?album=177

Annie Leibovitz' Vogue photoshoots with Kiera Knightley and Kirsten Dunst explore the same sense of magic and romance. In the Marie Antoinette series, she photographs within an ornate, but deserted palace as fits the story; the costume compliments her wealth. Her photographs are more literal in their story telling but still interpret familiar scenes, like Paula Rego. I particularly like that Leibovitz has a fashion collection and a personal collection of photographs, one layered with symbols and meaning, the other pure and simple, and largely in black and white.






http://www.davidlongshaw.co.uk/id7.html

Found Longshaw's illustration dresses - not so relevant but like the idea of the drawing becoming the clothing. 

http://www.mervynpeake.org/

As suggested by E. I have looked at Mervyn Peake - this is in reference to my flowl sculpture on the oca ma blog. It quite reminds me of Edward Gorey's work, dark and scratchy. And of course the twisted illustrations for Alice in Wonderland play with scale and animals and fantasy. I plan to read Gormenghast to gain a better understanding of his genre of work.

Reflection

From this research I intend to begin creating a scrapbook of images to collate scenes and stories. Hopefully this will enable me to structure a painting from different elements in an instinctive way. I will also revisit use of symbols. This is a direction which I had subconsciously avoided but it is reoccurring so needs more time devoted to it. Playing with scale is very fantasy based and will be challenge to achieve the right balance but through working on a smaller scale and with composite collage I will attempt to place objects together. Walker's work is very composed and again this is a trickery which I enjoy as it facilitates ambiguity. I need to look at some literary (but not obvious) references to support my ideas. Having just read a damning review of the BP portrait award (too much of the same, copies from photos...) I am brought back to the problem of constructing an image. Usually I find an image I like and add background and objects afterwards. I need to construct and create to create context rather than transplanting my character into a void. Even if they are no longer in their original context, they must have a environment to exist in. This could be real or imaginary or a combination of both, although I still wish to work observationally in one sense, then free the paint so that I don't attempt to imitate a photograph, or life as it is. There is a neccessity to create narrative to engage my viewer and allow them to project themselves and their experience onto the scene.

Cy Twombly - Bad Painting

The subject of Bad painting seems to come up again and again in my tutorials with E. This is something I have never been challenged with before. In fact the idea that some of my painting is 'bad' (a-levelesque) I find particularly abhorrent (being a teacher of A Level), and the suggestion that I would deliberately make marks on my paintings which fall into the 'Bad' catagory is well outside my comfort zone. However, Cy Twombly is one of the artists who has been raised and although I wouldn't describe myself as a fan, I am intrigued by his dribbling and scribbling. I have always thought of his style as drawing with paint, letting it spill over the canvas, layering and hiding and scratching into the surface.

I was suprised to find that he has created a series of 'flower' paintings like 'Untitled' (Peony Blossom Painting) (2007) which reflects the marks that I sometimes make in the background of my own work.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8577329@N07/4225567993/

I find the scale of his work is also quite impacting (see Flickr link). Much bigger than I would have expected for his flower forms. They are far from descreet and the bold marks and dribbles seen close up must appear quite tactile.

Reflection

There are more connections with Twombly's work than I initially thought. The only work I have seen is the work around seasons which incorporates text which I tend to steer well clear of; it sounds silly but I've never really looked at the markmaking in relation to my own work. Not sure how comfortable I would be currently with using this type of painting on such a grand scale, as I like to mix the surface and marks I use. Maybe this is something for my works on paper which I have yet to explore. I wouldn't want to be labelled as a bad painter, but using Bad painting appeals in a slightly subversive way.

Double Portrait Research

Post tutorial with Angela, I have begin to investigate double portraits. Yesterday I visited the BP Portrait Award and Glamour of the Gods at the National Portrait Gallery. I always go to the BP - it seems a good (and free) opportunity to see a range of painted works in the portrait genre. There seem to be some artists who exhibit again and again - 55 works selected from over 2000 entries - I'm not sure if this a vast number of applications or not. The work this year tended to be quite tight, not many gestural pieces and some quite illustrative. I also looked around the permanent collection is search of double portraits which were few and far between...expecting to find more, I then looked at the online catalogue and found lots, predominantly photographs. Also found out that you can print in black and white for free(!) so came home with quite a selection. There seem to be particular circumstances when the double portrait is used (from my survey of npg - this is by no means an exhaustive list); royal and political portraits; creative pairings e.g. French and Saunders; curiosities, twins and performers (acrobats and dancers); family pairs, mother and child, husband and wife, siblings and double sketches depicting one sitter from two angles. There was less of the mirror than I expected, although I found a great image by Laura Knight in the shop, 'A Dressing Room at Drury Lane' (1952) - love the double mirror and girl meeting the viewer's gaze while the other dancer seems absorbed with her own reflection. 

I have begun to make a double portrait research wall in my studio with prints and postcards. Must also say that David Hockney is unavoidably part of my investigation - his double portraits use scenarios and status to create intriguing social and domestic commentaries. I have grouped my research so far into loose collections; boys - the princes in the tower, elizabeth peyton, gilbert and george; performers; girls - alice neel, claude cahun, nicky hoberman's playmates, twin-like, diane arbus and domestic - love, mother and child, friends.

Reflection

Already I can see an area of particular interest emerging from this initial research. Although I will look further into family ties, it is the sense of reflection which hold my attention; either through similarities in appearance, twins etc or through a physical reflection in a glass. The inclusion of mirrors as props makes the gaze rebound between viewer and subject, and makes the subject seem stronger as they appear in multiple. Mirroring of body language and costume may also be an area which will link well with this line of enquiry. This also made me think of Roni Horn's second apart images again - I will explore this idea through continuous shoot photography and working on pairs of canvases to try and understand more about the process of constructing a double image.