graphite & watercolour/30x20cm
Of course, such a representation of such an object returns us to the familiar subjects of the white monochrome & the good old modernist grid, thoughts particularly of the work of Robert Ryman, & also another reference to a pair of Martin Creed’s ‘Works’, Nos. 340 & 384, as mentioned here back during the early summer when we were previously engaged with thoughts & deeds involving crumpled sheets of paper.
Obviously, considering the textured surfaces of a good many of Ryman’s painting-objects, especially those featuring some form of grid structure in the manufacture of, the drawing here is, by way of contrast, smooth & flat as it two-dimensionally represents the textured, three-dimensional, creased & crumpled paper object, in such a way establishing something of a dialogue with, a suggestion of, perhaps, the flat object of the sheet as it originally existed before such integrity was compromised by the action & process of folding, etc.
Considering, more generally, crumpled objects displaying blank surfaces – other than subtle tonal variations, as activated by the play of light, of course – reminded me, also, as a blast from the past, of Alex Landrum’s panel ‘Perfect Accident No. 5 of 5’, as encountered at the John Moores 20 exhibition back in 1997, a seminal & epiphanic event indeed.
Here’s a representation, taken from the as-ever essentially collectable catalogue, although 2D fails to properly communicate the overall complexity of either surface or object (as might be claimed of the watercolour drawing, of course, which exists as something ‘other’, a distanced simulacrum):
Alex Landrum 'Perfect Accident No.5 of 5'
cellulose paint on polyester resin/123x123cm
Soundtrack:
The Birthday Party homemade compilation
Jesca Hoop 'Hunting My Dress'
Hanne Hukkelberg 'Rykestrasse 68'
Rufus Wainwright eponymous
Belle & Sebastian 'The Boy With the Arab Strap'
Sparklehorse 'Dreamt for Light Years in the Belly of a Mountain'
4 comments:
James - this graphite is exceptional...literally slowed me down when looking at it. Thank you - Anna x
Thanks Anna,
Glad to have been able to provide at least something of a pause - the 'making of' was quite a slow process, at least until the watercolour stage, when things began to flow a bit.
Such an object certainly proved to be a fascinating subject of study, with the light playing subtly over its surface, the tones shifting with the slightest movement - quite a challenge to represent, but compelling all the same!
James x
I really hope you're feeling a bit better, drink lots of ginger tea it helps. Just returned from Portmeirion with a notepad full of doodles and a camera full of overlooked graffiti - oh I suppose the view of the estuary was pretty good too. Will email my number btw. Ax
Thanks again, Anna, for the wishes & good advice -
Gone down with the traditional exhaustion-induced holiday-time lurgy, but not that that stops the drawing process, of course (perish the very thought) - a couple more 'blanks' ready to be blogged once I can get the thinking head into gear.
Glad to hear you've been out & about & aesthetically busy - if you're in work this week, hope it's at least a bit quieter & calmer, with the potential for a bit of a slow-down & some contemplation.
Catch up soon.
Best,
J x
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