A certain sense of achievement today in that, for the first time, The Project managed to do what it set out ideally intending to - complete in the day & on the day itself a drawing transcribed from an image culled from that day’s print media. Just goes to show what might be achieved when it’s possible to devote the day to the work of art uncompromised by other ‘work’ commitments & the necessary evil of paid employment. The fact that the image represented through the drawing process dates from 8th January is neither here nor there, chronology having long since been abandoned in favour of being ‘spoken to’ by an image - either serendipitously or whimsically - from the growing backlog archive.
graphite/30x21cm
original source: 'The Guardian' 08/01/08
The process of this drawing incorporated more working-back-into than has been the case thus far over the course of The Project, another form of mark-making, the eraser adding as it subtracts, &/or vice versa.
This particular image - of a reflection of a familiar high street store front & logo as photographed reflected in a rain-slicked pavement - references the work of such original 60s photorealists as, for example, Ralph Goings & Richard Estes & their penchant for utilising reflective surfaces such as glass & chrome in their compositions. A nod to Pop too in the form of the branded logo & one might also include Cubism, in the conundrum of the compressed space, ambiguous depths brought to the surface &, again, the use of the lettering of the logo: I wouldn’t ever wish there to be an escape from art history.
Ralph Goings 'Golden Dodge' oil on canvas 1971
Richard Estes 'Central Savings' oil on canvas
The original image recalled to mind reading a copy of Anthony Burgess’s novel ‘Beard’s Roman Women’, illustrated throughout with photographs of Rome seen in reflection, in glass, in chrome, in water, an interesting experience as I remember.
The Guardian’s online Books blog recently featured a welcome article on Burgess & the neglect his work seems to have suffered, a source of regret to someone such as myself to whom he’s long been a favourite author: good to read such an appraisal & the comments in response.
Currently reading Jeffrey Eugenides’s ‘Middlesex’, most enjoyable, compelling storytelling, fine & witty characterisation, warm & human, energetic use of language & a fascinating portrait of 20th century American socio-history from the viewpoint of an extended Greek immigrant family in Detroit. The hero/ine is, at this juncture, still a young girl, it should be interesting to see how s/he develops…
Soundtrack:
Given the nature & course of the working day, it’s been possible to properly measure out the drawing process in terms of its musical accompaniment, whimsically chosen. In chronological order:
Charlotte Gainsbourg ‘5.55’
Sol Seppy ‘The Bells of 1 2’
The Delgados ‘The Great Eastern’
Low ‘The Great Destroyer’
Rachel Unthank & the Winterset ‘The Bairns’
Lambchop ‘How I Quit Smoking’
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