Themes & Visual Influences
-Expanded Painting
-Nomadism
-Mobility
-Pattern
-Abstraction
-Deconstruction
-Textiles
-African Traditional dress
-Native American Pottery
-Isa Genzken
-Charline Von Heyl
“Listening for the Weather" nomad -series
My next work began with me setting up a manifesto for my practice. Rules I set for myself in the beginning of the development stage. One idea I wanted was to give the work flexibility in viewing it and in it’s display.
"Listening for the Weather"
Art & Objecthood
Michael Fried
A section of this looks at ideas of Frank Stella’s irregular polygon and his ability to successfully investigate the shape of his canvases. “not merely that of the outlines of elements in a given picture (which I shall call depicted shape), but shape as a medium within which choices about both literal and depicted shapes are made and made mutually responsive.” Pg. 77
I have been considering not just what I have on the canvas but allowing myself freedom in that it doesn’t have to be just a rectangle or square on the wall. I am looking at the myriad of ways in which I can develop a serious of works looking at it’s overall shape and function, colour, and surface.
Looking at Isa Genzken’s work “Hyperbolo” lacquered wood sculptures and her columns like “Little Crazy Column” I enjoy her wild experimentation with materials and using found objects.I made decision on the shape of this piece. I stayed with the traditional rectilinear format for painting but added canvas board on both sides for me to paint on. I made the wooden frame wide to have options for displaying: to stand straight, lay on the ground and/ or lean against the wall. This gives it a somewhat human quality looking at how our bodies work with and in certain environments. Standing straight up next time I might consider widening the base for a more solid stance. I was also thinking about the fact that I travel a lot and don’t really have a permanent home. I am a nomad. Thinking about mobility, globalization the fact that I love living in other countries being an outsider and that I chose to go to school in another country. I’m interested in tribal prints so I researched wanderers, gypsies, and nomads from many countries some African countries with tribes known to wander the garments and textiles they carry with them searching for patterns or color palettes I found interesting. By mixing patterns with modern graphic designs I found this clash of high and low cultures gave the piece an interesting energy. I decided to varnish the exposed wood. Initially I wanted to leave it raw to maintain the connection with painting and the structure of the stretcher but I also liked the idea of Isa Genzken saying “that a sculpture must be at least like the latest thing, the most modern equipment available. So a sculpture must be at least as modern…” pg. 34 Isa Genzken:Retrospective ©2013
Although I could push the components to express modernity in this piece more for my art practice this was a huge amount of Material experimentation: using varnish this way in an attempt of bringing an upscale, more polished look to this piece, adding found objects likes beads and fabric to enhance the character of this work, adding layers of tribal pattern and graphic shapes. I think this might have been a little heavy on design and added objects. But as I explore I’m learning I lean toward a more minimal aesthetic so I will be more considered in how and what objects I use.
Isa Genzken Retrospective ©2013
