Back On the Road Again...#2

One of the more delightful recent aesthetic experiences has been the noticing, the finding, of the repainting-refreshing of the local 'double black lines' road markings (a necessary task, given the equally-noticeably worn state into which some of them had deteriorated, thus exposing the original-but-erroneous yellow lines underneath), which have of course made numerous appearences over the 3-&-a-half-years' life of the blog, in the form of both photographs &, more latterly, a series of drawings (currently on hold, having digressed into the related subject matter theme of the 'roadkill' drinks cans, but certainly not abandoned).

As is apparent from the following sequence of photographs (another impressive run-out for the fab new little camera) of the markings taken from various locations, this project & process of repainting has added another layer of visual & textural 'painterly' interest to the subject matter, with all underlying historical traces remaining apparent to some greater or lesser, subtle degree: indeed, the layers of evidence - & not least the introduction of another tinted 'grey' in terms of colour - are things of great wonder.

Art references, as previously & ever, abound, within the overarching tradition of the Modernist monochrome: here, its impossible not to be reminded of Jasper Johns' signature encaustic technique, solidifying the brushmarks, for example, creating a palpably physical surface...



Whilst the nature of the 'dragged' brushmarks in this instance recall Gerhard Richter's abstracts, any number of examples of expansive 'painterly' technique or, otherwise, Roy Lichtenstein's deliberate, ironic cartoon brushstrokes...


All manner of exquisite details become apparent, such as the Robert Rymanesque trailing-off endings & freshly-loaded beginnings of subsequent lines, illustrating the process of the mark-making...


As previously, additional, adjacent & related road markings lend themselves to forming part of the pictorial composition in best Modernist, abstract fashion...




as do other features of the roadside, such as this cast iron grid, adding another strong structural element to the composition & further subtle, rusty-hued touches of colour to proceedings...


All suitable fuel for inspiration, & again the presentation of horizontal subject matter in vertical form might raise certain perceptual questions.