928 11 sided irregular shapes
Back once again on the kitchen table. The repetitive act of making these seems more important than the finished/abandoned piece.
White pencil on black recycled card.
A1
Archives for category: black
Star Chart Series Drawing V
Mixed media on black recycled card
A1
I’m moving between composed drawings and ones where a pre-determined process determines the outcome. This style is composed; working on it felt like the way I used to approach paintings and collages, where each part would effect the whole and many revisions take place before a fragile balance is achieved.
I’m continuing this lockdown series, accumulating shapes in ordered and chaotic formations.
A0
Mixed media on black recycled card.
Detail:
AO
White pencil on recycled card.
Irregular forms repeated around a fixed point.
Detail:
I’m continuing to draw from our flat in these weird locked down days. Two upcoming shows have been postponed indefinitely. The act of drawing is respite from thought; labour intensive activity to become lost in. This drawing has a star chart/night sky feel, employing several techniques. It’s currently composed of four A1 sheets of black card and feels like I could keep adding further sheets to it until our entire living space is consumed.
Detail I
Detail II
A0
Conté Crayon on black card.
A1 Card
Forms cluster and layer around fixed points in flux.
This A1 gel pen drawing combines harsh angular forms with curved ones. It was shown at ‘In Orbit,’ the Catalyst Arts gallery members show that ran from the 18th of April to the 9th of May.
I made these two geometric chalk on board pieces as a commission for Art Loves. They are both 110cm squared and to be hung as a diptych.
I presented this painted black gloss shape on black matte wall at a recent studio critique. It was accompanied by this sound piece, played through a powerful stereo:
It was sufficiently loud that it caused objects within the room to vibrate.
The group discussion read the combination of sound and visuals as being oppressive and ominous, combining to create an atmosphere suggestive of religious cult rituals or sinister political gatherings.
It was felt that the work presented in this crit represents a departure from previous work. The black gloss symbol has nothing of the organic, gentle feel of the pencil drawings. It is extremely assertive and dogmatic; very oppositional and uncompromising in every way, to the point of feeling threatening. It suggests none of the time based creative process of the pencil drawing.
I am gradually assessing where I go from here. The shape is just an arrangement of painted lines, although I can understand why it was interpreted in these ways. I do feel that playing with sound and visuals with a certain charge and potency has potential, though I want to find ways to puncture the pomposity these signifiers carry, to promote recognition of their ultimate absurdity.
John Macormac 